The Art of Catching Fire
by TheBlackBriarSparrow
Summary: Sakura has always had a tight bond with Team Seven, so when Sai and Naruto are viciously attacked by rouge ninjas, Tsunade assigns Kakashi and Sakura to the case. As the mission unfolds and danger ensues, Sakura realizes that her friendship with Kakashi might be transforming into something deeper. #KakaSaku #FriendstoLovers #Fluff&Love #Romance&Adventure
1. The Art of Losing Chakra

Chapter One

The Art of Losing Chakra

* * *

Time was running out.

Sakura glowered at the clock over her shoulder, listening to the incessant mechanical ticking of the secondhand as it ground out the time she was losing. It was almost as if it were mocking her from its high perch on the wall. She swiped the back of her hand across her brow, catching the bead of sweat that had begun to drip into her eyes and refocused her chakra into her hands. The soft, glowing green light was fading with her rapidly depleting energy, but she was determined not to give up.

"Hold on Naruto, don't you dare close your eyes." The medic looked down at her golden-haired friend whose mouth was dripping a line of liquid scarlet. This was too familiar a scene for Sakura and she tried to squash the onslaught of fear that crept into her mind, peppering the back of her eyelids with images of Naruto dying during the war. _This wasn't the same_, she told herself. Naruto's heart was still beating, albeit faintly as she held her glowing hands over the torn flesh of his side. His breath was a strangled wheeze that failed to get the right amount of oxygen moving through his perforated lungs.

Sai stood in the shadows, hands clenched at his sides as he watched in helpless silence. Sakura had noticed as soon as he came in–half dragging Naruto's limp body–that he was bleeding from a gash on his head that painted the right half of his face crimson. She made him stand because she was afraid that he might have a concussion, and judging by the color draining from his face and the slack look of his limbs, Sakura feared if he sat down he'd fall asleep and she couldn't allow that without looking him over. As if on cue, Sai swayed, stumbling as he caught himself and leaned heavily against the wall for support.

"You called Shizune, right?" Sakura asked him.

Sai nodded. "She's on her way."

"Good." Sakura didn't want to admit to her dark-haired comrade that she needed help. It had taken every ounce of her self-control not to berate him for bringing Naruto to her house instead of the hospital in his condition, but still, she didn't want him to worry more than he already was. In his defense, Sakura reminded herself that the mission had been S-rank and no one was technically supposed to know the duo had been summoned to Suna. Next to Tsunade, Sakura was the best medical-nin in Konoha, so it wasn't like the boys weren't in good hands. She just wished she'd had more medical supplies on hand, but would make do with what she had until Shizune arrived.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Sai asked for the hundredth time–which to Sakura was just another indication that his head injury was as serious as she thought.

Though her fair face was draining of color, Sakura forced a smile and said, "He'll be okay." She looked down at Naruto and noticed that his breathing had eased some. She couldn't hear the wet gurgle of blood in his lungs now, and that sent a small spark of revival through her own tired limbs. "Tell me what happened," she told Sai. Now that Naruto was on the mend, she needed to keep Sai talking to prevent him from passing out where he stood.

"It was an ambush," he told her. "We were attacked by a group of rogue ninja just a few miles away from the gates of Konoha." Sai leaned forward, bracing his palms on his knees.

"Dizzy?"

"A little," he said.

Sakura bit her lip, casting a glance at Naruto whose bright azure blue eyes now seemed to hold some semblance of awareness. His head shifted a little, tongue coming out to wet his bottom lip as he raised his hand and pressed his knuckles to the line of congealing blood that had dripped down the side of his face. "Sakura?" he breathed, blond brows knitting together to create a small crease on his forehead.

"Hey Naruto, how are you feeling?"

"Like someone stabbed me through the side with a chakra sword," he choked out.

"Yeah, you look like shit, too," she teased. The blond chuckled, face contorting as he winced from the movement and the pain in his chest. "Lie still," she told him.

It was then that Sakura heard her door open and a lean figure blurred through the living room until she joined them in her kitchen. Relief lightened the swell of tightness in Sakura's chest to see her arrive. Shizune's short crop of dark hair was pulled back into a knot at her nape, and dark shadows underscored her even darker eyes. Her mouth parted as she took in the scene before her, inventorying the amount of blood that Naruto had lost as a pool of it expanded across Sakura's oak table.

"He should have been taken to the hospital," Shizune remarked. "Looks like you've got him on the mend. How are you holding up, Haruno?"

"Thank you for coming," Sakura said, hating to agree with her initial assessment. "I'm fine but Sai has a concussion, will you–" Sakura didn't need to finish her sentence. Shizune had already dropped her medic bag on the kitchen counter and summoned healing chakra into her hands as she cradled either side of Sai's head between her glowing fingertips.

"What happened?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Sakura.

"Ambush," Naruto choked out. "They must have known we'd be coming back to Konoha today because they were waiting for us a few miles outside of the gates. There was probably about thirty of them all together. Sai and I should have been able to take them out no problem, but they had a handful of nin that were actually good fighters. I think one of them was using a genjutsu, which is how I ended up with this wound."

Naruto was definitely feeling better, Sakura noted. His ability to function at the speed of sound always baffled Sakura, but she was grateful to hear his energetic string of banter now. "Do you have any idea what they were after, or who they were?"

"They seemed pretty hell-bent on taking me down, but Sai summoned his ink dragon and we managed to get away. Couldn't say who they were, though. They weren't dressed in issued clothing or wearing hitai-ates, so my guess is they're rogues."

"What were you doing in Suna?" Sakura had a feeling it was futile to ask, but she had to try.

Naruto grinned. "Can't tell you that, Sakura-chan."

Sakura rolled her chromatic, jade-green eyes towards her ceiling and noted a cobweb sweeping down from the blades of her fan. It had been a while since she'd been able to give her house a thorough cleaning, and now that spring was here, it was well overdue. She blew out a huff of air that ruffled a pink strand of hair from her forehead. "Tsunade-sama will want to know about this. I imagine she'll want to dispatch a team to scout the area for Sai and Naruto's attackers."

"As soon as you're done stitching me back together, I'll go tell the old lady what happened," Naruto tried to joke.

"You're not going anywhere, except maybe the hospital. I need to get an IV drip and some blood into your system to replenish what you've lost."

"I'll go," Sai said. "I'm feeling much better now."

"I'll escort him myself," Shizune told Sakura with a closed-lip smile. She knew the pink-haired medic would worry about Sai making the trip to the Hokage tower alone in his condition. "Don't forget to rest Sakura, you've depleted a lot of chakra."

"Thank you, Shizune. I really appreciate all you've done."

"I'll leave my med bag here. There's a saline bag you can use, but you'll have to go to the clinic if you want blood. Unfortunately, that bag isn't equipped with a cooler," Shizune said with a hint of a smile. She wrapped an arm around Sai's shoulder and led him towards Sakura's door.

After Sai and Shizune had exited the house, Sakura looked down at Naruto, assessing the wound on his side. The newly healed skin was closed and pink, slightly inflamed from the size it had been and how long it had taken Sakura to close it. His shirt was ruined. She'd had to cut it from collar to hem to expose the bloody wound. Absently, she ran her fingers over the scar below his ribs, positioned just below his heart. She'd done that in the war in effort to save his life even then. She'd been saving his life since before she could even remember–all of her teammates for that matter–and the constant worry she felt for each of them pulled heavily at her heartstrings. The life of a shinobi was dangerous to say the very least, but this was the path she had chosen without an ounce of regret. She was just happy her skills as a kunoichi were being put to good use for her teammates.

"I'm okay, Sakura," Naruto spoke softly, catching the look in her eye. "Thanks to you."

"Come on," she said, sliding her arm around his shoulders as she helped him sit up. "Let's get you into my bed and I'll get the IV going."

"You know, that would sound a whole lot better if we could just skip the whole IV part," he teased. Sakura flicked him in the ear for suggesting such a thing, but laughed anyway, helping him walk slowly across the threshold of her bedroom.

Naruto was a hopeless flirt, but their relationship was that of life-long friends that had experienced the highs of absolute joy, and suffered in the doldrums together in their absolute lows. Naruto would always be special to Sakura, but their relationship, as unique as it was, could never be anything more than friendship. She loved him in her own way, but the romantic feelings just weren't there. Sakura thought it was because Naruto was the one good constant in her life that she couldn't afford to lose.

She helped peel the rest of Naruto's ruined clothes from his battered body and laid him back in her bed, propping him up with pillows. "Hope you weren't particularly attached to that shirt," she said, tossing it in her wastebasket.

"Nah, plenty more where that came from."

Sakura returned to the kitchen to grab the med bag Shizune had left, and opened her supply closet and retrieved a metal pole to hang the saline pouch from. Believe it or not, this was not the first time she had to set up in-home medical care for her teammates. Kakashi was absolutely the worst for showing up unannounced with critical injuries that should have been examined at the hospital. '_Why go to the hospital when I have a perfectly capable medic on my team that can tend to my aches and pains in the comfort of home_?' he'd said to her one day. '_Besides, the nurses at the hospital have exceptionally cold hands, and they're always so rough_.'

It was true that she was probably less rough with her teammates than the slew of nurses and doctors that worked at the hospital, but that was because they were _hers_. Perhaps she had inadvertently spoiled them, but truth be told, she didn't mind. She liked that they trusted her–preferred her to look after them than to have someone else tend to their wounds.

"Okay," Sakura began after she'd hooked Naruto up to the saline bag, "under no circumstance are you to move from this bed before I get back. If you do, so help me _gods_, I will crush your skull between my bare hands."

"Aw, come on Sakura that would just defeat the purpose of you healing me." Naruto scrunched his eyes up and his mouth slipped into a wide grin as he looked up at her.

"I mean it, Naruto. Don't move. You need to rest, even if you have a relentless amount of energy and the world's greatest chakra reserve." Sakura knew that the Nine-Tails chakra fueled Naruto and he would be fully healed by morning, but he still needed his rest. Without it, he wouldn't recuperate the way his body needed.

Sakura rose from the side of the bed, glancing down at herself. Her white T-shirt was covered in Naruto's blood, as was her kitchen table, but both things were so miniscule in comparison to the fact that he was now on his way to healing. Sakura felt the strain in her aching muscles, but she knew she would muster enough energy to make it to the clinic. She pulled a red windbreaker from her closet and shrugged into it, zipping it so as not to scare the civilians she might pass on the street.

"Hey Sakura?" Naruto asked as she approached her bedroom door.

With one hand poised on the doorframe, she turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Can you bring me back some ramen from Ichiraku's?"

Sakura grinned, shaking her head a little. "Yeah, Naruto, I'll bring you some ramen."

~/~

Naruto was sleeping peacefully in Sakura's bed as she tiptoed across her bedroom floor and closed the door quietly behind her. She'd retrieved the medical supplies she needed from the hospital, stopped by Ichiraku's to pick up Naruto's favorite dish to-go, and headed back to her house all within less than an hour. He'd practically inhaled his meal by the time she finished hooking him up to the transfusions, and ran her chakra-laden palms over his body to check for any other wounds she might have missed. Once Sakura determined that she'd healed Naruto to the best of her medical abilities, she decided to let him rest in peace and slipped out into the cool, spring evening to get some fresh air.

Sai hadn't checked back in, which wasn't entirely abnormal for the former Root agent, but Sakura had to wonder if perhaps he was still holed up in the Hokage tower with Tsunade. Sakura knew that her team members had been summoned to Suna by the Kazekage himself to transport 'classified documents' from Tsunade. Sakura didn't know what was in those documents, but she wondered if the transport hadn't been an undercover operation in disguise. After all, Sai and Naruto hadn't been attacked _going_ to Suna, but rather on their way back–mere miles from the safety of their own home. The thought didn't bode well with Sakura.

Sakura drew a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the cherry blossoms for which she was named, and lightly pinched a delicate petal between her thumb and index finger. Her backyard wasn't very big, but she enjoyed the feel of the grass beneath her bare feet as she walked around, inspecting the new blooms in her vibrant garden. Her picket fence could use a fresh coat of paint she thought with a sigh, collapsing on the wrought-iron bench positioned beneath a low-hanging branch of the cherry blossom tree. She needed to sleep, but willed herself to hold on just a while longer–until she heard from Sai at least. Sakura reclined against the back of the bench, stretching out her long legs and crossing her ankles. It had been warm that day, but now that the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon, coloring the sky in shades of rose and amethyst, Sakura began to feel the chill in the air.

"You know," a low voice broke through the din of her thoughts and drew her attention to the branches above her head, "you almost blend into the background with your hair. Stealthy camouflage Sakura-chan."

Sakura wanted to roll her eyes but she was too tired. Konoha's legendary Copy-nin was perched on a tree limb, one leg drawn to his chest, the other swinging freely as his right hand gripped the branch above his head. "Get down from there before you break something. I don't have the energy to heal another soul," Sakura scolded him.

With the ease of grace, Kakashi dropped to the ground in front of her with barely a sound. He sat beside her on the iron bench without an invitation–not that he needed one. Hatake Kakashi had been a part of her life since he'd been assigned as her sensei after graduating the Academy. They were both jonin now, but Kakashi was still their team leader. A second passed before he turned to her, silver brow furrowed over his one visible dark eye. "You're bleeding."

"Not mine," Sakura said, unzipping her windbreaker so Kakashi could see the stain on her T-shirt. He must have picked up the scent of blood with his superhuman sense of smell. "Naruto almost died again. Sai brought him to me this afternoon with a perforated lung. He lost a lot of blood, needless to say, but he's healing now. He's asleep in my room."

"They're back from Suna sooner than I expected," Kakashi commented as he reached up to run a hand through his thick mane of tousled hair. It was always 'artfully' messy, but Sakura noticed the spring wind had tangled his silver-white strands in an unruly bird's nest. She surmised her shoulder-length locks probably didn't look much better.

"Do you know what they were doing there?" Sakura eyed him suspiciously. It was common courtesy that they would inform one another before leaving for a mission if they weren't assigned as a group, just to avoid the whole worry aspect of their departure. Sakura knew their compliance was probably mostly for her benefit, but it had become part of their team's unique ninja code. Plus, they would take turns checking on each other's houses and apartments to collect mail, water plants, and take care of animals. She knew that Kakashi had been on his own mission with Genma, but perhaps there was a possibility that Naruto had told their old sensei what he and Sai were up to before they'd set out.

"Afraid not," he remarked.

Sakura could feel him studying her from the side, and looked up to meet his eye. Though she could only see a small portion of his face (as he kept most of it hidden behind a mask) she thought he looked tired. His shoulders were slumped more than usual, and Sakura noticed he was holding himself in a strained, unnatural way. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You are hurt, aren't you?"

"Bah, I'm fine," he said dismissively.

"Out with it," she demanded, pushing herself up from the bench and propping her hands on her hips as she stood in front of him.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile beneath the folds of his mask. Sakura saw it, knew that his eye was creasing because of it. _Gods_, she thought he could be so damned stubborn sometimes–then again, so could she. "I think I dislocated my shoulder."

Annoyance flared in her gut and gave Sakura the energy to roll her eyes this time. "Only you would climb a tree with a dislocated shoulder. Stand up."

Kakashi made slow work of it, sighing as though her offering to fix him was taxing on _him_ instead of the other way around. "I didn't use my left arm to climb the tree," he retorted.

Sakura wasn't tall enough to reach his shoulder with their height differences, so she climbed up onto the iron bench and motioned for him to step closer. He obliged, and she slid the green flak jacket off his shoulders and let the heavy contraption drop to the bench beside her with a thud. She could see it now, the slight protrusion of his left shoulder as the bones pulled away from his body at an odd angle. The black jonin shirts were rather form fitting, and did little to hide the musculature of the person wearing them. This also meant it was easy to see where his bones needed to go in order to be put back in place.

Sakura took his left arm, lifting it above his head as she worked the joint a little, feeling along the grooves of his shoulder with her other hand. "You should have told me you were hurt." Of course, if she'd been on top of her game, she would have been able to see it the moment he'd landed in front of her. Kakashi's body posture was relaxed most of the time, but she knew the difference between his casual stance and his pained stance when she saw it–even if he was trying to hide it from her.

"If I recall, you told me you didn't have the energy to heal another soul," he said, using her words against her.

Sakura slammed his shoulder back in place in response, smiling sweetly at the masked-nin in front of her as a low sounding groan grated up the back of his throat. "All better," she said, batting her eyelashes at him innocently.

~/~

Kakashi rolled his shoulder, testing the feel of it. He would never tell her, but she'd hurt him more than he let on with the little grunt of pain. Kakashi was no stranger to pain, physical and emotional alike, and masked it just as well as the mask he wore to conceal his face. The pain ebbed when Sakura summoned her healing chakra and pressed her small palms to the round of his shoulder. He stood entirely still, breathing in the scent of her shampoo as it coalesced with the scent of the cherry blossoms blooming above them. He watched her work her magic, admiring that she had to stand on the bench just to reach his shoulders without straining. He liked that she was small. But looks alone were often deceiving–true to the fact that Sakura could take on a man more than three times her size and flatten him into a pancake with minimum effort on her part. If he were being honest with himself, he liked that about her too.

"How did this happen?" Her large green eyes glanced up to his.

Kakashi reached up to scratch the underside of his masked chin, dragging his nails along the corner of his jaw. "Well," he began, drawing out the syllable, "there was this bridge…"

Sakura swatted at his good shoulder in annoyance. While she had changed so much in maturity from the young genin that had been assigned to his team almost nine years ago, she still had very little patience for his bullshit and Kakashi found it endlessly amusing. He liked to push her buttons if only for a chance to see that spark of indignation light up her eyes.

"How does that feel?" She drew her hands back from his shoulder but made no move to get down from the bench. Her hands rested on her hips now, head tilted slightly as she waited for Kakashi to respond.

"Much better, thank you."

"Have you already sent in your mission report?"

"Not yet. You were my first stop, actually," he admitted. He could have gone straight to the Hokage office and had Tsunade put his shoulder back in place, but he had a feeling the seasoned honey-blond wouldn't be quite as gentle with him as Sakura had–_and yes_, she had been gentle despite the unavoidable burst of pain.

Sakura's eyes flashed up to his and something unreadable passed through her expression–so quick he had to second guess if he saw it. He watched her climb down from the bench, pulling her knees to her chest as she loosely wrapped her slender arms around them. Kakashi finished testing out the durability of his shoulder before sliding his hands in his pockets and sitting back down beside her. He watched her bite her bottom lip, drawing it in with her perfect set of teeth as a small crease, thin as spider silk, formed between her brows.

Kakashi swallowed. "What's on your mind, Sakura? I can tell when something is bothering you."

She turned her face to his. "Am I that readable?"

Kakashi thought for a moment before he responded. "Maybe I just know all your tells."

She chuckled at that. "I'm worried about Naruto. I know he's going to be fine, but it's the nature of the mission that bothers me." Sakura paused. "I find it odd that Sai and Naruto were summoned by Gaara to deliver some top-secret documents, but they didn't get attacked until they were almost home. Doesn't that seem a little odd to you?"

"Did you ask Naruto about it?"

"He said he couldn't tell me anything and he didn't recognize the nins who attacked him."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, fingers getting caught in the tangled strands of his hair. He probably needed a shower. He and Genma had spent the last two nights camped out in the woods on their trek home, and Kakashi had forgotten to bring basic grooming materials. As an afterthought, he hoped his two-day-old deodorant was still holding up. Sakura wasn't pinching her nose or leaning away from him, and his own superior sense of smell hadn't picked up on anything 'flower-wilting' so he assumed he was fine. "If it will make you feel better, I'll talk to Tsunade-sama when I turn in my report, see if she has any inside information."

Sakura turned to him with a smile. "Would you?"

Kakashi nodded. "I can't promise she'll tell me anything, but I'll ask."

"Thank you." The pink-haired kunoichi leaned against his side, resting her head on his newly healed shoulder. He was really second-guessing that shower now, but decided not to move as one look down at Sakura propped against his arm showed him that her eyes were closed. Within the minute, her breathing had changed. Fleetingly, he wondered just how much of her chakra she'd exhausted today in healing Naruto. Had heeling his shoulder really pushed her over the edge?

Though he knew Sakura would be remiss to learn he hadn't woken her right away and rushed off to the Hokage tower for answers, he couldn't bring himself to draw away from her warmth just yet. She had obviously exhausted herself and needed to rest; his bicep was as good as any pillow though probably not as comfortable. Kakashi decided it wouldn't hurt to let her sleep a moment curled up on his shoulder.

He wasn't sure when it had happened, but something had begun to shift in their relationship. It had been a long time since he had been her teacher–though 'teaching' hardly felt like the appropriate term to describe his methods of training. She'd grown up since then–in more ways than one–and somewhere along the line Kakashi had stopped thinking of her as his subordinate, but rather his equal. Her medic abilities were highly regarded in all of Konoha, and she was a fierce ninja. He honestly felt lucky that she had chosen to remain on his team, and at times wondered why. He hadn't paid a whole lot of attention to her as a genin, and the regret of that tasted sour on his tongue. There was so much he wished he could change about the past, but if admitted it, dealing with the ghost of old wounds was made easier by the pink-haired girl that was currently asleep on his shoulder. He didn't know how, but in some way or another, over the course of these long hard years, she'd worked her way through the fissures of his hardened exterior, and warmed a place in his heart.

Kakashi laid a masked cheek to the top of her head, feeling the warmth of her skin penetrate through to his. He drew a breath and released it slowly, happy to just be home.

* * *

**Okay guys, this is my first attempt of EVER writing FanFic. I want to thank my sister-in-law for introducing me to Naruto and fueling my new obsession. She also happens to be a writer, and her stuff is incredible. If you haven't yet, be sure to check out her stories and leave her some love. (loonymoony17)**

**Things you should know: I shamelessly ship Sakura and Kakashi, so I hope you enjoy my view/creation of their relationship. And if you feel so inclined to leave me a review or let me know what you think, I'll certainly appreciate it!**

**Stay tuned, and happy reading!**

**~Sparrow**


	2. The Art of Making Bets

Chapter Two

The Art of Making Bets

* * *

Sakura woke to the smell of hot tea and… was that miso soup and steamed rice? Blinking away the sleep from her heavy eyelids, Sakura pushed herself up on her elbows and found the warn fabric of her couch cushion rubbing against her skin. Her favorite plush scarlet blanket was tangled around her in a heap, and there was a pillow beneath her head. Strange… the last thing Sakura remembered was being outside with– "Kakashi," she said aloud.

The man in question was standing in her kitchen with his back to her and appeared to be preparing a meal. He was wearing his sleeveless training shirt and the standard tactical pants issued to the jonin. As usual, his mask was pulled up to hide everything from his nose down. He'd abandoned his forehead protector and his clean and freshly combed hair artfully framed his face. Sakura would probably never tell him, but with his hair that way, she thought he could pass for a man in his early twenties instead of a man of thirty-three.

Without turning to face her, he said, "Tea?"

Sakura pushed herself up in a sitting position, drawing her knees to her chest as she fixed the blanket like a cape around her shoulders. She was still wearing the clothes that were covered in Naruto's blood and she felt unusually groggy. She answered him with another question as she turned her head to gaze out the window. "What time is it?"

"A little after ten in the morning," Kakashi told her, walking into the living room with a steaming mug. He sat on the edge of her coffee table, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees and extended the warm drink.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled at him, cradling the mug between her small palms. "I fell asleep on your shoulder last night, didn't I?" Sakura felt a rush of heat dusting her cheeks with color when she realized that Kakashi more than likely had carried her back into her house and tucked her into bed–_well_, her couch, but the nuance was still the same.

With total nonchalance, Kakashi replied, "You were snoring."

Sakura openly scoffed at him. "I don't snore!"

"You did last night," he insisted. The corner of his eye creased and Sakura could only assume he was smiling. She just prayed he was also teasing, because there wasn't much else she could think of that would be more embarrassing than snoring in front of her ex sensei. Okay… so there were a few things but she wasn't going there.

"Where's Naruto?" She opted to change the subject.

"Naruto was awake at the crack of dawn, entirely healed thanks to you, and was on his way home to shower so he could go visit with the Hokage," Kakashi informed her. He cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck to the side, popping more vertebrae.

Sakura hummed. She must have really been out of it to have slept through Naruto leaving her house. It wasn't like the guy was naturally quiet or light-footed. "I see." She sipped her tea, noting that her mouth felt a little like sandpaper and the warm liquid helped ease the dryness in her esophagus. Perhaps she had snored… "When did you get in?"

Kakashi rubbed a hand up the back of his neck, dropping eye contact and found a scuff mark on his boot that was far more fascinating. "I slept on the recliner," he admitted with some reluctance. "Hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind." It wasn't like it was a first for any of her teammates. When they were injured, Sakura preferred it that way so she could keep an eye on them. Besides, it wasn't like they did a very good job of taking care of themselves.

"I did go home to shower and change after speaking with the Hokage, but I wanted to check on you and Naruto. It was late and I was tired, and you had an empty recliner…"

Sakura felt her lips slowly turning up at the corners. "You don't need an excuse, Kakashi. You guys know you're always welcome here." Sakura dropped the blanket cape from her shoulders and stood up to see what smelled so good in her kitchen. Her stomach was growling, and having slept for close to twelve hours had made her famished. She sat her mug down on the counter, and stood on the tips of her toes to pull down a couple of bowls. "You didn't eat yet, did you?"

"No." He was suddenly behind her, casually leaning against her counter top with his ankles crossed. Sakura scooped out two healthy portions of miso and handed the first bowl to Kakashi since he had been kind enough to make her breakfast. Naruto and Sai usually waited for Sakura to make _them_ breakfast, and she had to admit, Kakashi's gesture had been sort of endearing.

She climbed up on her counter, bouncing her heels off the cupboard as she spooned in the first mouthful. "You know," she began, "I don't think I realized you could actually cook."

Kakashi laughed lightly. "I have managed to keep myself properly fed for a number of years, Sakura-chan."

Sakura grinned. She kept her eyes on her meal because she knew that was the only way Kakashi would eat in front of her. He was incredibly stealthy with that damn mask of his, and Sakura had long since given up the effort to try and snatch it off his face, or catch a glimpse of him without in on. In fact, as genin, 'Snatch the Mask' was one of Team Seven's favorite pastimes. They'd only come close to succeeding once, but at the last second, Kakashi–or rather his shadow clone–had disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

They all had bets going about what Kakashi was hiding under his mask. Sasuke, though not an active part of their team anymore, believed that Kakashi was missing teeth. Naruto was sold on the idea that his face was covered in craters from scarring of teenage acne, and Sai believed he had a huge gap between his front teeth. Sakura was under the impression that there was nothing wrong with his face and his reasons for hiding it were simply personal. Whatever the _real_ reason, the group more or less respected his wishes to remain private–_more _where Sakura was concerned, and _less_ when the boys decided a night of drinking gave them the right to make a go of it in their inebriated states–to which, never ended well for them.

"So," Sakura prompted, "do you have anything you'd like to share with me?" She'd been dying to ask him what the Hokage might have spilled since she'd woken up to find him in her kitchen.

"Maybe." Kakashi sat his empty bowl in her sink. "After you tell me how you depleted most of your chakra reserve yesterday."

Sakura met his one visible onyx colored eye and wondered how a man who kept the majority of his face hidden still managed to look cross. Really, it was mind-boggling. "I pulled a double shift at the hospital yesterday," she admitted. "Everyone has been wrapped up in missions and I was _bored_." Sakura scraped her spoon across the bottom of her bowl, aimlessly stirring the contents. "Saving Naruto took every ounce I had left."

"And healing my shoulder pushed you over the edge." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You could have told me Sakura, I would have gone to Tsunade or Shizune."

A small spark of anger briefly ignited in her chest. "I know my limits," she said a little more sharply than she'd intended. Sakura knew Kakashi was only looking out for his team but he just didn't _get_ that Sakura felt responsible for their well-being. She'd rather exhaust herself taking care of them than have them wallowing around in pain.

"You and I both know that one day of overexertion wouldn't have caused you to deplete that much chakra. I think you've been pulling more than a few doubles at the hospital. I'm guessing they've been back to back, too."

Sakura squeezed the spoon in her hand until she felt the metal start to bend. Why did he have to be so damn perceptive? She knew better–she really did, so she didn't bother with making an excuse. She sat her bowl down and folded her hands in her lap. "You're still babying your shoulder today so I must not have finished the job." She held up her hand, waving him over with her index finger. For a moment, she wasn't sure if Kakashi was going to give in, but then he ambled over, sighing. She felt his breath on her face.

"I won't tell you what you already know, but you should really–"

"–Then don't," she interrupted. She knew what he would say–that she should take better care of herself. Truthfully, it was just nice that he cared. Sakura summoned healing chakra into her hands and pressed her glowing fingertips into the round of Kakashi's shoulder. His skin was bruised from where she'd slammed his bones back in position but hadn't been able to fully heal. She noticed a few other pale lines etched into his taut skin from wounds he'd received over the years; scars that had all but entirely faded. Kakashi had nice, strong arms that complimented the rest of his figure. She'd always admired the look of him; tall and lean, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Sometimes that admiration would sneak into the foreground of her mind unbidden, at the worst possible times–like right now for example–when he was close enough that Sakura could smell the light woody aroma of his aftershave.

"So what did you find out from our beloved Hokage?" Sakura prompted again.

"Tsunade sent out a backup team of Anbu initiatives to scout the area outside the gates. They were instructed to kill those who were left, and to bring in their leader for questioning."

"So Gaara didn't send them back with anything the rogues might have wanted?"

"I think," Kakashi said, "Naruto would have told you that much." His eyebrows rose to drive the point and Sakura sighed.

"Who's leading the team of Anbu?"

Kakashi didn't reply. He held Sakura's gaze and the drawn out silence was answer enough.

"You _can_ say his name you know. I'm not going to break." Sakura finished healing Kakashi's shoulder and dropped her hands to the counter, squeezing the edges with her palms.

"I wasn't trying to imply you were fragile, Sakura." Kakashi faced the counter beside her, bracing his palms against the flat surface as the muscles in his triceps split into a rather defined V. "Sasuke is rather touchy topic with you and Naruto. I was trying to be subjective."

Sakura took interest in her hands, picking at a hangnail that she'd subconsciously been working at for the last couple of days. "Anbu suits him," Sakura said dismally. "His emotions–or lack thereof, are befitting for the type of work that's required of Anbu Black Ops." Sakura's green eyes were drawn to the red spiral tattoo on Kakashi's bicep–the mark of the Anbu. Sakura knew that Kakashi had belonged to Anbu in his younger years, though he never talked about it. Shinobi selected for that line of work were chosen because they possessed a certain darkness… Sakura had heard rumors of Kakashi's past and knew that he'd been through a great ordeal of trauma at a very young age, but looking at him now it was hard for her to associate him with darkness. She sensed a deep sadness in his soul, but no darkness.

Not like Sasuke.

"He's trying, Sakura," Kakashi's voice had gone unnaturally soft. "He knows that he put you and Naruto through a lot and in his own way, he's trying to atone."

Sakura snickered humorlessly. Even after all this time, after everything that Sasuke had put the whole team through–not to mention the village, Kakashi was actually still defending him. The man was an anomaly and though he was one of the most feared and respected shinobi in all of Konoha–if not in all the five great shinobi lands, Sakura still couldn't glimpse that pearl of darkness within him. She looked at him, impetuously covering the back of his hand with her palm she said, "You don't have to pretend like what he did didn't hurt you, too."

Kakashi's eyes were lucent when they met Sakura's. She felt him stiffen beneath her touch, and when his eyes shifted to her hand on top of his, Sakura realized what she had done. A knot gathered in the center of her chest but she didn't dare move her hand. Sakura wondered if Kakashi's own pain on the matter of Sasuke had ever been recognized. The man was the mere definition of stoicism; he shouldered so many burdens and never once complained. She thought he was the strongest man she knew, but even the strongest needed comforted every now and then. Determined to get her point across, Sakura squeezed Kakashi's hand.

Kakashi didn't look up. He kept staring at her hand on his, a soft crease forming between his brows. Sakura would have traded ten-thousand Ryo to know what sort of thoughts were bouncing around his head. The pink-haired nin was stubborn and refused to release him from her grip. Vaguely, she wondered if Kakashi knew just how important he was to her–to his whole team. She determined that they would just have to get better at finding ways to let him know.

A moment passed before Kakashi seemed to relax, and in a motion that surprised Sakura, he covered the back of her hand with his.

~/~

Kakashi stayed to help Sakura clean up the small mess he'd created from making their breakfast, and even helped scrub her kitchen table clean. Ninja were well acquainted with bloodstains, and knew a couple of tricks to remove all evidence that a mess had been made. Unfortunately for Sakura's table, that also meant the top layer had practically been sanded off, and needed re-stained with a proper coat of varnish. As far as her white T-shirt was concerned, it would need to be soaked in bleach if she had any hopes of reviving its brightness.

After Kakashi left, Sakura took a shower and dressed in a pair of black shorts and a quarter-sleeved crimson colored top that showed off the delicate curves of her physique. At the door, she slipped into her shoes and headed out into the sunshine.

Sakura had barely rounded the first corner at the end of her street before almost bumping (literally) into her second favorite loud-mouthed blond. "Hey Forehead!"

"Ino-Pig," Sakura greeted the girl with a smile. Ino was dressed in a slim-fitting pair of black leggings and a purple top that showed several inches of her toned abdomen. "What are you doing on this side of town?"

The blond flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder. "I was coming to find _you_, actually. Shizune stopped by the shop this morning and said you had the day off and mentioned you were supposed to be taking it easy. I know how hard that is for you, so I thought I would check in and see if you wanted to grab a late lunch or something?"

"Sure, but, I was on my way to Sai's place. I wanted to check on him after what happened yesterday." Sakura had complete and total faith in Shizune's healing abilities (as they both were trained by the legendary Tsunade herself) but Sai had a tendency to keep to himself and Sakura liked to check on him from time to time to make sure he hadn't been swallowed up by a black hole or something of an equally unlikely caliber.

"What happened yesterday?" Ino frowned, lightly brushing her manicured fingertips across Sakura's forearm in concern.

Sakura drew a breath before reiterating the tale of Naruto and Sai's mission to Suna, and told her about the condition in which they'd returned.

"I swear," the blond said, "it's like your men just don't know how to stay out of trouble."

"Oh, like yours are any better." Sakura scoffed.

Ino laughed at that. "That is odd though. Hopefully it won't take long for the Anbu to catch up to the squad and apprehend the leader. I mean, Tsunade is grooming Naruto to take her position, right? Maybe they were just trying to stop him from becoming the future Hokage."

"That just doesn't make any sense. Why would a group of rogue nins care if Naruto is the Hokage? They're not Leaf citizens." Sakura reached up to press her index finger to the throbbing vein in her temple. Not having the answers to this little mystery was driving her crazy. Working in the hospital full-time had put a near-stop to her going on missions; perhaps Sakura was just itching for some field work. She'd have to bring that up to Tsunade next time she saw her.

"Guess you'll just have to wait to hear from–" Ino stopped mid-sentence, biting her bottom lip and contorting her pale eyebrows as she glanced over at Sakura. "Oops. Sorry Forehead."

Sakura rolled her eyes to the heavens. "Oh for the love of the First–_why_ does everyone think I can't tolerate hearing Sasuke's name?"

"Oh, I dunno. Maybe because you haven't dated a soul since the two of you broke up, not to mention the fact that anytime someone says his name you get this little tick in your brow, right here." Ino reached over and jabbed Sakura in the forehead just above her right brow.

Grimacing, Sakura reached up to massage the spot Ino had thumped. "I do not!"

"How long has it been, anyway?"

"Since what?"

"Since you and Sasuke broke up."

Sakura cringed. She'd tried to forgive him, really she had, and for the sake of the torch that she'd been carrying for the guy since she was a genin, she decided to give their relationship a second try after the war. A part of her would always care for Sasuke, but they had both changed so much from the people they used to be. For one thing, Sakura was a lot more mature and no longer the whiny, insecure girl who'd been walking around the streets of Konoha with Sasuke-shaped stars in her eyes. She'd grown up, and she knew what she wanted: A man who was strong and noble; a man who would respect her strength and not undermine her abilities. She wanted someone that wasn't afraid to show her their soul and share their life with her. She wanted a man like–

"You're drifting, Forehead," Ino interrupted her inner monologue.

"Sorry," Sakura said, thinking back to Ino's original question. "I think it's been seven or eight months."

Ino made a sound of sympathy. "Oh gods Forehead, that's incredibly depressing. You know what you need?" Ino paused, glancing at her friend as they headed deeper into the city. Obviously she'd wanted Sakura to take a guess at what it was she thought she '_needed_' but Sakura was afraid she didn't want to know where Ino's mind was venturing. When Sakura didn't answer, Ino continued, "A night out on the town with the girls."

Sakura pursed her lips together. It had been a while since she'd gone out with the girls, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea… "That could be fun," Sakura agreed.

"Perfect. I'll swing by your place at eight to pick you up. We can meet the girls at Shushu-ya's." Ino squeezed Sakura's arm and blew her a kiss before heading across the opposite end of the street.

"Hey! What about lunch?" Sakura called.

"That offer was standing prior to the decision being made about tonight," Ino informed her. "If we're going out on the town, I need the appropriate amount of time to tell the girls and pamper myself." The blond looked down at her nails and grimaced.

Sakura snorted. "Fine. I'll catch you later Ino-Pig."

"Later Forehead!"

~/~

Sakura knocked on Sai's apartment door, and bent to straighten the welcome mat she'd bought him as a house-warming gift. She'd been a little worried about Sai living by himself, but he insisted on his independence.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-chan," Sai greeted her when he opened the door.

"You didn't stop by to see me after you visited the Hokage." Sakura caught his chin in her hand, turning his head just-so so that she could examine the invisible mark on the right side of his temple that Shizune had healed flawlessly.

"I wasn't aware I needed to." The dark-haired boy frowned.

"I was worried about you." Sakura stepped past him and entered his living room. The beige carpet was stained with dark spots that Sakura hoped was just mud and dirt from him not removing his shoes before he entered. His apartment was fairly empty, furnished only by a hand-me-down couch that had been given to him by Kakashi, a coffee table that Naruto had donated, and a mix-matched set of dishes and silverware that Sakura had given him. The walls, however, were covered in elaborate drawings and paintings that Sai had created; they transformed the living quarters into a small-scale fine art museum.

"I didn't intend to worry you, Sakura," Sai told her before closing the door. "I suppose I should have known it was in your nature."

Sakura inspected the plants in his windowsill. The leafy green herbs needed watered, so Sakura filled a glass with water and gingerly applied nourishment to the thirsty roots. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"Much better." Sai flopped down on his couch and picked up his sketchpad, flipping to a clean page. "Have you talked to Naruto today?"

"Not yet. Kakashi told me that he was visiting with Tsunade-sama this morning."

Sai nodded. "So I take it you've heard about the Anbu mission?"

Sakura plopped down next to Sai on the couch, wrapping her arms around one of the decorative green pillows that almost matched her eyes and squeezed it to her chest. "I've heard."

"Sasuke will find whoever attacked us. You have nothing to worry about Sakura." Sai reached for the mesh bag of charcoal pencils on the end table and began drawing.

Sakura didn't quite know how to reply. She glanced over at her teammate, studying his profile. When he'd first been assigned to Team Kakashi, neither she nor Naruto were quite thrilled with Sasuke's replacement. For one thing, they were both bitter about having a new teammate, and for another, Sakura saw one too many similarities between Sasuke and Sai. That was until Sai opened his mouth, anyway. Whatever physical similarities the two shared died with the use of his tongue when he told Sakura she was ugly. Thinking about it now made her laugh.

The ex-Root member had come a long way since then, she thought. He knew the convoluted history between her and Sasuke, yet he seemed to be the only one that treated her like she could handle hearing his name without crumbling to bits.

After a moment, Sai sat aside his pencil and glanced over at Sakura. "Did I say something wrong?" A small line creased his forehead.

"Not at all," Sakura told him. "Why do you ask?"

"You got quiet on me all the sudden. I mean this with absolute respect Sakura, but you're not innately a quiet person."

Sakura had to laugh. "I was just thinking," she said. "You're the only one who isn't afraid to say Sasuke's name around me and I'm just… appreciative, I guess."

"Who's afraid to say his name around you?"

Sakura heaved her shoulders up into a shrug. "Kakashi, Ino–even Naruto sometimes." Naruto was such a solid guy–he'd never really given up faith in Sasuke, but she knew the topic was one of a sensitive kind even for him. After all, Naruto regarded him as something akin to a brother. His betrayal still wounded them deeply.

"They just want to protect you," Sai said, glancing down at his sketchpad as he retrieved his pencil. "What they don't know is that you don't need protecting when it comes to him."

An upturn of her lips showcased a small smile that warmed her. Sai really was observant. Sakura wasn't sure she gave the guy enough credit sometimes. "Thank you, Sai." Sakura tipped her head back against the cushions. "What'cha drawing there?"

Sai tilted the sketchpad so that Sakura could see, and after a short beat, Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Is that… _Ino_?" She recognized the shape of the girl's slender face and the ample bosom Sakura surmised was a fairly accurate representation as well.

"The likeness is off a little."

"No, I think you're pretty on point." He'd softened her features some, making her appear a little more delicate than she really was, but perhaps this was how Sai saw her. "I think someone has a crush." She winked at him.

The lightest shade of pink found its way to Sai's cheeks, dusting the blades of his cheekbones. "She's pretty."

"Do you like her?"

Sakura wasn't sure it was possible for the boy to turn another shade darker, but sure enough, the flush deepened to match the petals of a red camellia. "We're very opposite, her and I."

Sakura grinned. "Well, you know what they say about opposites attracting…"

"What do they say?" Sai blinked up at her.

Sakura opened her mouth to reply and then realized that she didn't quite know the origin of the adage. She frowned as she contemplated. "Well," she said, "I don't know exactly; just that they attract."

"Hmph," Sai replied.

"Oh it doesn't matter anyway. You should tell her if you like her," Sakura encouraged. Sai was positively adorable and even in his awkwardness he could be downright charming. Ino would be lucky to have such a man–though Sakura knew the girl's first selections weren't always for the intellectual type. Maybe she would need convincing. "I could talk to her if you want."

"I'll think about it," Sai replied.

"Oh come on, what could it hurt?" Sakura hopped up from the couch and stretched her arms above her head as a yawn escaped her. "I'm being roped into a night on the town with the girls anyway. Ino is picking me up at eight."

"I'll let you talk to her on one condition."

_Oh this ought to be good_. "And what condition is that?" Sakura rested her hands on her hips.

"You have to go on a date."

Sakura blinked at Sai–waiting for him to say more because he'd obviously lost his mind. When he didn't elaborate further Sakura replied, "It's girls' night."

"So."

"So what's me going out on a date have to do with you agreeing for me to put in a good word for you with Ino?" she grumbled at him. _Wow_, _that sentence was a mouthful_.

"We'd both be out of our comfort zones," Sai explained. "I'm leveling the playing field this way. Plus," he pointed out, "you haven't been on a date in a long time."

"Yeah thanks for reminding me." Sakura sighed.

"We're helping each other," he insisted with a shrug. "I'm helping you get over Sasuke once and for all, and you're helping me get a date."

"I _am_ over Sasuke!"

"So why aren't you dating?"

"Because I've been busy!"_ Oh_ the boy could be so infuriating with his pesky observational skills. She thought he was a bit like Kakashi in that regard. Then again–no one knew her better than her teammates. "I don't have time to date."

"You have time to go out with the girls," Sai countered.

So, _so_ pesky… She narrowed her eyes at him and ground out the monosyllable through clenched teeth, "_Fine_."

Sai grinned at her. "You have one week, Sakura."

"Oh there's a time limit now?" Sakura said exasperatedly, eyes widening.

"Think of it as a mission," Sai paused. "We'll call it: Operation Date Me."

"_That_," she confessed, "is a terrible name for a mission."

"Just the same," Sai said with a grin, "your countdown begins now. You better get to it."

Sakura couldn't believe it. Sai actually had the audacity to wink at her. Wordlessly, she spun on her heel and headed for his apartment door. When she let herself out, she thought she heard Sai's muffled laughter through the walls.

_Well_, she thought, _that's one way to get back out there_.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 3 - it's one of my favorites!**

**~Sparrow**


	3. The Subtle Art of Flirting

Chapter Three

The Subtle Art of Flirting

* * *

"You can't wear that," Naruto informed her; his features scrunched together in an expression of complete disapproval. "There's hardly any fabric to this thing." Naruto reached out to pinch the hem of Sakura's short black skirt between his thumb and forefinger, but since the hem was riding dangerously close to Sakura's behind, she swatted his hand away.

"I hate to tell you this Naruto, but you're not the boss of me."

"Well if I were, I sure as hell wouldn't let you go out in that thing. Maybe I'll make that a rule when I become Hokage. All dresses worn by Sakura must be fingertip-length." He waved his hand through the air as if he were writing out her sentencing.

"That's sexist behavior, Naruto. You know better."

"I just don't want you to be objectified, and if you go out in that, you'll certainly be objectified. Trust me Sakura, I know how men think." The boy jabbed himself in the chest with his thumb.

"Well maybe you should learn how to control your thoughts," she teased him as she stepped into her closet to find a pair of shoes that would match her outfit. Most of her dressier clothes she'd bought for undercover missions, and hadn't had an excuse to wear in quite some time. She just hoped her feet wouldn't be screaming by the end of the night as she weighed the pros and cons of her high heeled black stilettos.

Pros: They would make her legs look fantastic, and the stiletto could be used as a weapon if wielded properly. Cons: Her feet would more than likely end up killing her, and the stiletto could be used as a weapon if wielded properly. (That had to be listed twice for safety-sake.) There was just no telling what 'Drunk Sakura' might do if she found herself in a position she didn't want to be in. Like the time the civilian man groped her ass in Wind Country and she gave him a black eye before Kakashi had hauled her out of the bar… Maybe the black boots were safer for everyone involved.

"You obviously want to be noticed," he insisted. "But you know, sometimes less _isn't_ more."

"It's girls' night, Naruto. I'm dressing up because I never get to. And you know Ino will be wearing something way more revealing than me." Sakura stepped into her ankle booties and bent to buckle the little clasp on the side.

Naruto covered his eyes and fell back against Sakura's bed. "You're killing me," he groaned.

"Oh come on Naruto, it's nothing you haven't seen before." Their job titles required them to reveal more of themselves than they probably would in any normal circumstance–due to all the blood and gore and the locations of the wounds in which the blood and gore were seeping from. Granted, no one was thinking about anything other than saving that person's life at a time like that, but still…

"Well, at least take a sweater or something, okay? It's supposed to get chilly tonight."

Sakura snorted. "Okay, _Dad_."

Naruto turned his head, eyebrows contorting as he gestured to Sai who had been sitting quietly in the living room where the pair could still see him. "Sai, help me out here."

Sai looked up from his sketchpad for the first time, taking a moment to examine Sakura's appearance. A beat later he cleared his throat. "While it's true that Sakura's dress leaves very little to the imagination, it also isn't revealing anything inappropriate. It could always be worse. She could be leaving in her bathing suit."

"She looks like candy that I'll bet someone is just dying to unwrap," Naruto continued.

"You're sweet Naruto." Sakura sat her palms on the tops of his shoulders and bent to place a kiss on his forehead. "I appreciate your concern, truly."

"She smells like candy, too."

Sakura laughed. She scooped up her wristlet from the duvet cover and gave herself one last final glance in the mirror. The dress hugged Sakura's slim figure, though the modest square neckline covered her breasts. Tonight she was all leg, and the toned definition in her calves and thighs showed. She'd pulled up half her hair, letting only a few stray tendrils artfully frame her face. She'd even put eyeliner on and the dark contrast of the kohl brought out the bright intensity of her jade green eyes.

"What are you boys getting into tonight?" she asked them on her way to the kitchen.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll have a boys' night and conveniently run into you at Shushu-ya's." Naruto flashed a conniving grin.

"But that would ruin Operation Date Me," Sai inserted.

"Operation _what_?" Naruto wrinkled his brow.

"I have a bet going with Sakura," Sai explained. "I told her she could inform Ino of my feelings for her if Sakura agreed to go on a date. We're calling it Operation Date Me. She has a week to get someone to go on a date with her."

Silence settled around them as Naruto appeared to be digesting the information. Finally, just before Sakura thought she could hear crickets chirping in the background, Naruto said, "That's a horrible name for a mission!"

"I tried to tell him." Sakura squeezed her lips into a thin line and gave a halfhearted shrug.

"Not only is it a horrible name, but the time frame was far too generous. Dressed like that, she'll have a date in two-minutes flat."

"You want to put money on this bet?" Sai blinked up from his sketchpad.

"Only if you change the name to: Operation Trying to Get Laid."

"Naruto!" Sakura reeled back and punched the boy in his bicep before he could react. What followed was an acrobatic display of tactical fight moves between the pair as they tried to playfully assault the other. Naruto was too busy laughing to return the majority of the kunoichi's attacks, and because of it, neither of them heard Ino enter the house. Sai was the only one who'd stopped drawing and greeted Ino politely while the others kept on fighting.

"Seriously guys?" Ino complained; her tone was complete with a pop of her hip and an eye roll that could easily rival Sakura's.

Sakura had Naruto's arms pinned behind his back and looked up at the blond standing in her doorway. She conjured up her sincerest smile of apology and released Naruto from her grip. "Sorry, Ino-Pig, we were just–"

"–I don't even want to know so you might as well save it." Ino held up her hand. "Now come on, Forehead, we're going to be late! Hinata and Tenten are waiting on us at the bar."

"Bye Sakura-chan, have fun!" Naruto called mockingly as Ino yanked the pink-haired nin out of her own home.

~/~

Traditionally, Sakura was pretty sure 'girls' night' was supposed to consist of a girl and her best girl friends all gathered around while laughing and drinking–maybe even dancing, and just enjoying one another's company. Perhaps the first hour of the night had started out in such a fashion; the girls caught each other up on the latest happenings in their life, and talked about jobs, missions, and boys. It was fine; it was normal. But as the night grew longer and the drinks kept flowing, 'girls' night' seemed to develop into a competition of the most advanced, highly prestigious ninja tactics known to man: _the art of flirting_.

Naturally, the mild-mannered Hinata decided to opt out of the game and sat nursing the one and only drink she'd ordered since the group had arrived. Tenten was near the back of the bar with a group of people playing billiards, and Ino was sitting at the bar, leaning suggestively towards a civilian man with bulky muscles. Sakura didn't recognize him from town, but he appeared to be struggling to keep his eyes on Ino's face. Not that she could blame him. The blond had chosen to wear a teal colored dress that matched her eyes and had a split that stretched clear to her naval. Further proof, Sakura thought, that she had dressed modest in comparison.

"I heard what happened to Naruto," Hinata said. "That must have been so frightening for you considering everything you two have been through."

"It was," Sakura agreed. She spun her sake glass on the table between her hands, feeling the cool condensation drip over the sides as it chilled her fingertips. Sakura had reached that pleasantly warm place with her alcohol induced buzz. Another drink and she thought she might very well rocket right into a state of inebriation. "But he's okay now, so that's all that matters."

Hinata nodded. "Don't look now, but I think that man over there is staring at you."

Ninja should be stealthy, but Sakura was too intoxicated to care about that. She blatantly looked over her shoulder in the direction Hinata had indicated and saw a man who looked a little older than her staring indeed. Sakura narrowed her eyes, trying to get his image to solidify in her wavy vision while she scrutinized his appearance. She could tell he was tall and had dark hair, and from here, it also looked like he might have dark eyes. Sakura remembered she was supposed to be making good on her deal with Sai, but watching Ino flirt herself senseless at the bar made her second guess whether or not she wanted to adhere to her side of the bargain. _Sai is too good for her_, she grumbled inwardly.

"I think he's coming this way. Do you want me to leave?" Hinata asked.

"No." Sakura's hand shot out to cover the back of Hinata's wrist. Instead, her knuckles brushed one of the half-full glasses on the table and knocked it over. Liquid spilled across the burnished surface of the table and dripped over the side. "Shit. I'm sorry Hinata." Sakura made a grab for a heap of napkins and attempted to dam the proverbial river before it soaked Hinata's lavender dress.

"You didn't get me, it's okay."

"Whoa, looks like you've got yourself a bit of a mess there," a deep voice drawled. Sakura looked up to find that the man who had been staring at her was now standing at their table. "How about I buy you a new one to make up for the loss?" He flashed a charming smile, hooking his fingers through the belt loops on his dark dress slacks.

_Oh gods_, Sakura thought. Now that he was up close, she determined he looked too much like Sasuke for his own good. Because Sakura had a history for falling for men who belonged in the 'tall dark and broody' category, she knew she had to decline. "I really appreciate the offer, but, I'm afraid I've had my fill for tonight."

"That's a shame," the man said. "Perhaps you'd consider accompanying me to dinner some other time. My name is Eisen." He reached for her hand. "Saito Eisen."

"Sakura," she replied as he brushed the back of her knuckles with a feather-light kiss. "Thank you for the dinner invitation, it was very kind, but," Sakura glanced around the room as she struggled to come up with an excuse, "I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate that."

"Boyfriend?" The man–Eisen was it?–narrowed his eyes as if Sakura were speaking a foreign language his brain couldn't compute. "I don't see your boyfriend here now."

"That's because it's girls' night." Sakura fixed him with a most practiced, innocent smile because on the inside, her adrenaline began thundering through her veins.

"Ah, well, I hope your boyfriend knows how incredibly lucky he is to have such… such a delicate blossom in his life."

"I'm the lucky one," Sakura insisted, trying ever so hard not to burst out laughing from his chosen use of the word 'delicate.' _If he only knew_, Sakura thought.

Eisen nodded, looking a bit like someone spit in his taiyaki and trudged away from their table. Hinata shot Sakura a look. "What's wrong with you, Sakura? That man was gorgeous."

"He… reminded me of someone." Sakura was feeling as though she'd definitely reached her limit and was ready to go home. "I'm going to use the ladies' and then I'm ready to get out of here, what about you?"

"I'll go round up Tenten and Ino and try to have them ready."

"Good luck," Sakura told the girl as she rose–albeit wobbly from the table. Sakura straightened the hem of her dress and focused on wading through the maze of hot, sweaty bodies that were oozing with the scent of alcohol as she headed for the bathroom.

~/~

Hatake Kakashi was not one for social gatherings, especially when those social gatherings took place in a bar and were intermingled with ninja and civilian citizens alike. He was of the mind that it was just a recipe for disaster. Alas, today was Maito Gai's birthday, and Genma had dragged Kakashi out of his apartment to celebrate. He and a few of the other older jonin had found a round table near the back of the bar, tucked beneath the dull green glow of the glass lamp hanging from the low ceiling beam. Kakashi sat with his back to the wall where he could view the whole room with the shadows concealing him.

Beside him, Genma shuffled the cards in his hand while anxiously gnawing on a senbon. How he hadn't cracked a tooth yet went beyond Kakashi's reasoning. Genma leaned back in his chair, staring at his hand as he heaved a sigh. "You know," Kakashi said, "it doesn't matter how long you stare, those cards aren't going to magically change suit."

"You're a prick, Hatake," Genma informed him. This only caused Kakashi to grin beneath the concealing fabric of his mask.

Across from Kakashi, Gai was also studying his cards. The Green Beast had had close to eight drinks by Kakashi's count, and his eyes were starting to look a little glazed. Gai was known throughout Konoha for his legendary challenges, and in honor of his birthday he'd challenged everyone to keep up with him drink for drink. Kakashi wasn't a fan of being intoxicated in public–or in general really–and declined the challenge in favor of being the designated sober-nin. _Someone_ had to look out for the group's wellbeing.

While Genma was contemplating which card he wanted to play, Kakashi sat debating when it would be acceptable for him to leave. That's when a familiar fragrance, smelling of jasmine notes and crisp vanilla, caught the attention of his ultra-sensitive nose. He looked up to find that Sakura was sitting across the room from him with Hinata. She was wearing a slim black dress that showcased about a mile of the girl's slender legs, and hugged her frame in a way that made it hard for him to ignore the slight uptick of his pulse.

Yes, Sakura was beautiful–he wasn't blind. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the changes from the pretty girl she'd once been to the young woman sitting across the room now. But Sakura was his teammate and considerably younger. He doubted she'd appreciate knowing that her former sensei was thinking of her as… _well_, as a woman.

"Your turn Kakashi," Gai informed him with a hard thump delivered to the middle of his back. The hit jarred his spine a little, but Kakashi wouldn't give him the satisfaction of grunting in discomfort. Kakashi had been holding onto an ace for a while now, but he wasn't quite ready to play it so he threw down his king.

"Unbelievable!" Gai shouted.

"Game's not over yet," Genma said determinedly beside him.

Kakashi's attention was pulled away from the game as he caught a flash of dark clothing out of his peripheral. A civilian man dressed in a business uniform (sans sport jacket) was making his way to Sakura's table. He watched as Sakura clumsily knocked over a glass and spilled the liquid contents.

"_Looks like you've got yourself a bit of a mess there, how about I buy you a new one to make up for the loss?_" the man said to her.

Kakashi leaned forward in his chair in a move that could only be described as primal instinct. A jolt passed through his chest that he didn't want to name as he watched the man vying for Sakura's attention. If Sakura's previous crush said anything about her tastes, this man was certain to spark her interest, and Kakashi didn't like it.

He didn't like the way he was looking at her–eyes lingering on her petite feminine form, drinking in the sight of her long legs in that short dress. He watched the man reach for her hand and _kiss her_.

A raw, foreign feeling raked across Kakashi's gut and filled it with burning heat. _What was that?_ Sakura's business wasn't any of his, but she was his teammate and friend, and he had a right to care about when creepy men tried to… to… _flirt_ with her. Kakashi wiped his hand across his face, leaning back in his chair. _Get a grip, Hatake_, he mentally reprimanded himself. Some of the boiling rage in his chest abated when he realized that Sakura was politely declining the man's offer to take her out to dinner. He watched her gaze sweep across the room, and for a brief moment, he thought he caught her eye. That's when she informed the man that her 'boyfriend' probably wouldn't appreciate another man asking her on a date.

He wanted to laugh. Of course Sakura could handle herself, he needn't worry. But when Sakura got up and wound through the crowd on her way to the bathroom, the man decided to follow. Rage blossomed once more in Kakashi's chest.

"Your turn again, Kakashi."

Kakashi didn't think. He dropped his ace on the table and pushed his chair out, wooden legs scraping against the tile floor.

~/~

Sakura's head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton balls. She admitted that she was more intoxicated than one responsible nin ought to be in a public setting, and turned on the cold water to cool her overly warm skin. She wet a paper towel and held the rough material to the back of her neck, lifting her hair with her free hand. The night had started off so good, and she hated to end it on a sour note; but 'Drunk Sakura' wasn't quite rational and the emotions swirling around her head from seeing Sasuke's lookalike had done more damage than she wanted to admit.

She was over him, really. But it bothered her that men who seemed to look and act like Sasuke all had a thing for her. It was like she couldn't escape her past. Sakura crumpled her paper towel and tossed it across the room landing a perfect dunk in the wastebasket. She used her shoulder to push the door open, and felt the handle smack into a solid object outside. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she began apologizing to whomever she'd assaulted. "I didn't see–" She stopped talking when her eyes locked with the man who had asked her to dinner.

"No harm no foul," the man said, revealing to her his charming grin. "I was hoping to catch you before you left, see… I think we started off on the wrong foot. I realize I can be a bit forward at times, especially when I see something I want." His dark eyes roved Sakura from head to toe, and he was standing close enough that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "I hope I didn't frighten you, Sakura-san. That wasn't my intention."

_Oh, this man was good_, Sakura thought. "You didn't frighten me," she told him, stepping forward so the bathroom door could close behind her. "I meant what I said about having a boyfriend. Truly, I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Eisen reached out to catch her arm as she tried to walk past him. He spun her so that her back was exposed to the hall, and his was to the bathroom door. Sakura could feel the bubbling of her blood in her veins, heating with general annoyance. If it hadn't been for the alcohol manipulating her coherency, she would have been too quick to let him touch her. That triggered her anger even more, and she clenched her fist, thinking of driving it hard in his gut and wishing she'd have worn her damn stilettos to use as a weapon.

"Let. Me. Go." She bit the words out through clenched teeth. She decided to give the man one warning before she showed him that she wasn't just some delicate flower he could take advantage of.

A slow smile crawled across the man's face, but he chose to release her arm. "Feisty, I see."

"_Yes_," the low even timbre of the Copy-nin chilled the atmosphere as Sakura felt his presence at her spine, "she has that reputation." Kakashi's right arm circled her waist, fingertips tightening on her hip. Gently, he'd pulled her close so that her back was flush with his chest, and she could feel the quickened beat of his heart pulsing against her shoulder blade.

Sakura's breath caught in her lungs. She was momentarily stunned by his timely appearance, and confused by the immediate soothing reaction her body seemed to have with his arm around her. Conflicting thoughts pinged through her head. She wanted to be angry that Kakashi had come to her rescue because she didn't need it–but at the same time, she realized it was exactly what she _wanted_.

The stunned expression on Eisen's face was priceless. "I presume you must be the 'boyfriend'?"

"You presume correctly," Kakashi deadpanned.

Eisen snickered. "Konoha's very own Copy-ninja, huh? Isn't he a little too old for you? I heard the man keeps his face hidden because he doesn't have lips. That true?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed to thin slits. She couldn't believe he'd had the guts to say that in the presence of a ninja–let alone Kakashi himself. Either the alcohol he'd consumed made him irrationally brave, or he was the biggest moron in all of Konoha. Either way, she was really wishing she'd worn those stilettos. Sakura took a step forward; a list of colorful insults began building on the back of her tongue as she opened her mouth, ready to spit them out. "Listen here you slimy piece of–_oof–_"

Sakura didn't get very far. In the blink of an eye, Kakashi wrapped his arms around her middle and hoisted her up so that her elbows were hanging over his shoulder and his right arm was braced across the back of her thighs. _Well if this didn't seem all too familiar a scene_, Sakura thought as he carried her out of the hall. "Hey! I wasn't done!" She slapped the back of his shoulders in a futile attempt to get him to put her down.

"Oh, I think you were quite done, Sakura-chan. It's time to go."

"He can't just say those things and live to tell the tale!" Sakura insisted, wiggling in his arms. She was vaguely aware that everyone was staring, but she didn't care. Sakura's fiery temper had a reputation of its own, and there was little anyone could do to reason with her once it reared its ugly head.

"I shouldn't have to tell you this, but it's against the law to kill that man." Sakura could hear the humor laced through Kakashi's tone as he maneuvered them through the crowd. When they reached the exit, Sakura caught Ino's glassy-eyed stare, and the blond shot her an amused look and waved as Kakashi hauled her through the doorway.

Sakura realized that she should probably feel the sting of mortification since he'd dragged her out of the bar _over his shoulder_, but the emotion just wouldn't come. What _did_ embarrass her, however, was the cool night air whispering up her short skirt as she realized her underwear may have been exposed for the whole world to see. She dropped her face to Kakashi's shoulder in defeat, inhaling the clean woody scent of his skin. "Put me down." Her words were muffled against his collar.

"Can I trust you to behave?" he quipped.

He couldn't see it, but Sakura was rolling her eyes in the crook of his neck. "You're showing my ass off to anyone who walks by."

Kakashi tugged on the hem of her dress with his free hand, and she felt his fingertips brush against the bare skin on the back of her thigh–dangerously close to forbidden territories that should only be caressed by those who had been given an invitation to touch. She shrieked, covering the small zing of excitement that heated her core, and reached back to swat his hand away from her behind. "Put me down, Kakashi!"

Kakashi obliged when they'd reached a side bench beneath the tree-lined sidewalk; the dull orange glow of the streetlamp illuminating their path. He lowered Sakura to the ground, allowing her to get her feet under her before he let go. Sakura straightened, and the cool night air wrapped around her shoulders in the absence of Kakashi's body heat. She was starting to regret not wearing the sweater Naruto had suggested, and crossed her arms over her chest to fight off the chill.

"You didn't have to drag me out of there like that," Sakura insisted, staring up at the masked man who was looking at her with total amusement.

"I most certainly did. You and I both know that alcohol and reasoning go together like oil and vinegar," he told her.

"What he said didn't bother you?" Sakura continued. The wind was ruffling the soft pink strands of her hair, and it was tickling her cheeks.

Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly turned up the sidewalk. "I didn't like how he was talking to you. When I saw him grab your arm, something in me… snapped." He glanced down at the pink-haired woman to see how she was taking his confession. Her expression remained neutral so he continued, "If I hadn't hauled you out of there I was afraid I'd do something that we'd both regret."

"Did that 'something' have anything to do with beating the guy senseless, because I was two seconds away from showing him just how _delicate_ I really am," Sakura said.

The corner of Kakashi's eye creased and Sakura imagined him smiling. "The thought may have crossed my mind," Kakashi admitted as they turned up another sidewalk. "Look, Sakura, I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I _wanted_ to protect you."

That shouldn't have surprised Sakura, but it did… He'd been looking out for her for nearly half of her life, and she had to wonder if he knew how grateful she was to him. Wordlessly, she linked her arm through his at the elbow, hugging herself to his side. Kakashi wasn't the affectionate type, but she didn't care. She wanted to show him that she cared about him. "Still… I didn't appreciate what he said about you."

"Well," Kakashi said, drawing an audible breath, "I can assure you that I have lips, so his attempted insult failed to strike a proper chord."

Sakura laughed at that, nudging her shoulder into his bicep as they walked. "How'd you know where to find me, anyway? You haven't been talking to Naruto have you?"

Kakashi lifted his eyebrow. "I was there with Gai and Genma and a few others, celebrating Gai's birthday. I just so happened to witness that guy trying his luck with you, and watched him follow you to the bathroom after you'd turned him down."

"Ah," Sakura replied. That explained how he'd shown up at the perfect time.

Silence ensued as they rounded the corner, turning up the sidewalk that would take them away from the heart of town and in the direction of Sakura's house. They were both walking slowly, not in any particular hurry to get to their destination.

"I am curious," Kakashi said after a while, "why weren't you interested in that man? I thought… well, I guess I thought you liked the tall, dark-haired type."

Sakura snorted out a laugh. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't exactly had the best track record with that specific type of man. I'm broadening my horizons." Kakashi considered that in silence so Sakura continued, "If I'd agreed to go out with him, I would have made good on my end of the bargain I made with Sai, but, I just couldn't make myself do it."

Kakashi shot her a glance. "Do what?"

Sakura explained the terms and conditions the pair had set for one another; after she finished her tale, she noticed that Kakashi's shoulders had tensed but for whatever reason he chose not to comment. Be it from the residual alcohol coursing through her system or not, Sakura couldn't seem to stop talking about the topic. "I mean, I shouldn't have to prove that I'm over Sasuke by dating someone else, right? I'm busy. Just because I'm not seeing anyone doesn't mean I'm hung up on him. And if Sai likes Ino then he should just talk to her. I shouldn't have offered to do it for him. It would be a good learning experience for the guy."

Kakashi's free hand shot out and latched onto Sakura's arm as she stumbled over a dip in the sidewalk. He steadied her, waiting for her to catch her balance before withdrawing his hand. She was definitely still drunk. "I don't think you're still hung up on Sasuke," Kakashi offered.

"Thank you." She gestured to nothing in particular emphatically. "It's not like dating is an easy thing when you're a ninja. I mean, what we do isn't exactly family-friendly. Anyone outside of our line of work just wouldn't understand or tolerate the required lengthy missions," she paused. "Our dating pool is kind of shallow if you think about it–we're pretty much limited to only dating other shinobi and that's bad enough."

Kakashi placed his had in the middle of her back as she climbed the stairs to her porch. "Everyone gets lonely, Sakura," he allotted after thinking about what she'd said.

Maybe it was the sadness in his tone that drew her attention, but Sakura's eyes found his face as they stood before her door. Here she was whining about her dating life, or the lack thereof, and Kakashi had been single for almost as long as Sakura knew him. "Even you?" her voice was barely audible as he met her gaze. Sakura's hand was poised on the door handle, but she couldn't seem to make herself move. Not with the way Kakashi was looking at her.

A tiny spark lodged behind her breastbone, and she had to wonder if it was due to the nearness of his warm body next to hers, or the alcohol making her feel things she wouldn't normally pay mind to. She wondered, not for the first time, about what the man was hiding behind that mask of his…

Kakashi never answered. The door was yanked out from Sakura's palm and she all but stumbled across the threshold. Naruto was standing there with his features cast in shadow. "We need to talk," her golden-haired friend said.

Sakura was about to ask 'why' when Naruto stepped out of the way and the question died on her parted lips. Sitting on her couch was none other than Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

**Thanks for reading - stay tuned!**

**~Sparrow **


	4. The Art of Adventure and Dirty Novels

Chapter Four

The Art of Adventure and Dirty Novels

* * *

There were times when Sakura's maturity surpassed Kakashi's and others when he truly had to marvel at the lack of it. Now was one of those times–though he suspected the high content level of alcohol flowing through her veins was mostly to blame–as Sakura turned in her own doorway and attempted to slink past him on the porch. Kakashi sidestepped, rolling his palms over her small shoulders to hold her in place. She glanced up at him with her teeth bared in a wince. "Nice try, Sakura."

Kakashi turned her around and steered her into her house, closing the door behind them. Sasuke, the source of Sakura's dismay, was perched on her couch, aimlessly twirling the handle of a kunai around his index finger. He was still wearing his Anbu gear, and looked to be fresh off his mission as his clothes were stained with the remnants of dirt and blood.

"Does Tsunade know you're here?" Sakura asked him as she walked into her kitchen to fire up the tea kettle.

"She's aware," Sasuke replied. The dark-haired warrior didn't volunteer any more information but tilted his head to the side to study Sakura's back-end as she stretched to pull down a set of mugs from her cabinet. Kakashi clenched his fists, bunching his hands beneath his biceps as he leaned against the back of Sakura's door.

"Sasuke's team found the group of ninja that attacked Sai and I," Naruto said. "Apparently they were rogue Sand-nins from Suna. Turns out they were just trying to get me out of the way in order to get to Sai."

"Sai?" Sakura frowned, leaning across her counter. "What would they want with Sai?"

"Information on Shimura Danzo," Sasuke said.

Kakashi turned his head a small fraction, just enough to witness the color draining from Sakura's face as she braced her palms against her countertop. Danzo was a particularly sore topic with Team Seven and for Kakashi as well. The former Root leader had been dead for years; he'd answered for his crimes and died at the hands of Sasuke, but hearing his name still brought on a bitter wave of anguish for Kakashi. Memories he tried so hard to bury were uncovered, swept now to the foreground of his mind.

"I'm the last surviving former-Root member," Sai spoke up from his spot on the windowsill. "When Danzo died, the curse mark he placed on me disappeared. Before that, I was unable to share information about what he was doing."

"And now that the binding seal is gone you can," Sakura summarized. "But who would want information on him now?"

"Shigaraki Tanuki was one of Danzo's most loyal followers. He fled Konoha after Danzo was killed and passed everything he knew of Root onto his daughter, Sumire, so that one day she could avenge the organization," Kakashi told them. After all, he and Tsunade had been the one's to expose what Danzo had been working on while leading the Root organization. "We lost track of her whereabouts after the war but it was thought that she'd been residing in a small village in Wind Country."

"You think she's trying to start a Root organization of her own and she's using rogue-nins from Sand to do it?" Sakura asked him.

"That's what Tsunade-sama thinks anyway," Sasuke said. He finally stopped spinning the kunai blade and secured it in his hip pouch. "She wants Sakura and Kakashi to report to the Hokage tower in the morning to discuss a mission objective."

Kakashi stiffened.

"Just the two of us?" Sakura asked what Kakashi hadn't been able to.

Sasuke nodded. He stretched out his long legs before pulling himself to his full height. "It's too dangerous for Sai to go, and Naruto is still healing from a major injury and she doesn't want to risk anyone recognizing him. Tsunade requested the two of you since you're familiar with the sensitive nature of the subject. For now, she'd prefer to keep the mission under wraps."

Sakura released a breath of air, ruffling the pink strands of hair on her forehead as the tea kettle whistled on the stovetop. She turned as if her limbs were operating under mechanical movements, and twisted the dial to its off position. Kakashi watched her fill the mugs on the counter, and then set the tea kettle on the back burner.

~/~

Sakura had been itching to get assigned to mission that would give her a break from her routine work at the hospital; she just hadn't expected it would be something like this. She handed a mug to Naruto who was standing beside her in the kitchen, and put the others on a tray as she made her way through the living room, passing them out to her teammates as she went along. Finally, she settled next to Sai in the windowsill, cradling her own mug between her palms.

"Are you okay?" she asked him softly.

"I'm fine, Sakura, just sorry that you're being dragged into this mess," Sai replied.

"It's not your fault," she told him adamantly. The last thing she wanted was for Sai to somehow place the blame on himself. Danzo had brainwashed the boy from such a young age, it was a miracle he was able to function normally. Being a part of Team Seven had helped, she knew, she just didn't want anything to set him back.

"It's late," Sasuke said impassively. He walked the mug Sakura had given him over to the counter and sat it in her sink basin. He turned, catching her eye, and bowed. "Thank you for the tea, Sakura. Good luck on your mission." He let himself out after that and closed the door behind him.

A knot, she didn't seem to realize had formed in her chest, loosened with his departure. Seeing him never got easier, but it wasn't because she was still pining for the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan. It was because she missed the person she thought he was, and knew he could be. She thought back to the conversation she and Kakashi shared about Sasuke trying to atone for his sins. Maybe he was right–maybe it was time for Sakura to learn how to forgive him.

"It is late," Sai agreed. "I should get home, too."

"You can stay here if you want," Sakura offered.

"I appreciate the offer, but your couch is too lumpy to support my spine." He grinned at her in attempt to placate her mood, but Sakura only worried more.

"I'll walk you home Sai; your place is on the way to mine anyway," Naruto said. "Thanks for the tea, Sakura. I'll catch you later." Her golden-haired friend scooped Sakura up into a spine-crushing hug, but Sakura eagerly returned his embrace.

"Take care of yourselves," she told them as they headed for the door. "I don't want to hear that you've gotten into any trouble when I get back."

"Aw, you know us," Naruto said from the doorway, "we're just a couple of Konoha's most respectable citizens, and we're never up to no good."

"Uh-huh," she deadpanned, shaking her head as they disappeared into the night. "You think they'll be okay without us?" Sakura glanced up at Kakashi who was now leaning against her countertop.

"They are fully grown men now, Sakura. I think we can trust them to look after themselves." His one visible eye creased at the corner. "Besides, Tsunade will be sure to keep them busy."

"True," Sakura agreed. She untangled her limbs from their crossed position and made her way to the kitchen. She deposited her empty mug into the sink basin and turned to face Kakashi. "So, _partner_, you ready for this mission?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Kakashi pushed himself up from the counter and took a tentative step towards her. "You're not going to be nursing a hangover in the morning, are you?"

"You forget that I spent two years training under Tsunade, and among the many things the woman taught me, functioning under the influence was at the top of that list."

Kakashi chuckled. "Get some rest, Sakura." His warm palm closed over her shoulder, and she could feel the heat of his fingertips seeping into her skin. She looked up at him, feeling that tiny spark start to swell in her chest again. This time, she was fairly certain she couldn't blame the alcohol. Something was shifting–had been for a while now, if she was honest with herself. She wasn't sure when she'd first noticed the change, but it crept on her slowly, like the way seeds were planted in the garden. If left to watch grow, it would seemingly take a lifetime to notice the changes, but if left alone… one day those seeds would sprout and blossom.

Kakashi had been a steady constant in Sakura's life, and she felt incredibly close to him even though she knew very little about the details of his personal life. It was the little things that he did or said on a regular basis that made her feel at home with him; like waking up to find that he'd made her breakfast, or getting rescued from herself before she could do bodily harm to drunk men in bars. Somehow, he was always just there when she needed him.

"Good night, Sakura. I'll see you in the morning."

"See you then," Sakura agreed.

~/~

Kakashi took the scenic route home, using the rooftops of Konoha as his preferred means of travel. It also required more concentration on his part, which was a good thing, because he'd been fighting off inappropriate thoughts since he'd first set his eye on Sakura in the bar. All thanks to that little black dress she'd chosen to wear.

Kakashi perched on the apex of the next roof, wiping his hand across his face as he drew a deep breath. Even when he was trying not to think about it, he was thinking about it, and that was not acceptable because it was _Sakura_. The girl would likely serve his head on a platter if she knew he'd been thinking about the way she moved in that tantalizing piece of fabric. Her lithe figure was a call to motion itself, and the dress hugging those petite curves was pure torture.

He rubbed at his eye, trying to reason with himself. He was a man–a man that noticed attractive women when he saw them. It wasn't his fault that Sakura fell into that category. It also wasn't his fault that Sakura had chosen to wear the dress or that his hand might have accidentally slipped when he attempted to pull the cloth down to cover her exposed behind when he'd tossed her over his shoulder.

Kakashi heaved a sigh, forcing himself to concentrate as he made the next jump and landed soundlessly on the rooftop. He'd just have to come to terms with the fact that things were changing–maybe had been changing for a long time. Yes, Sakura was important to him, maybe more important than anyone in his life if only because… because he saw her as someone he _could_ share his life with… _And when had that happened_? Kakashi wasn't sure. He only knew that being around Sakura made him _feel_ something, and that, he determined, was a good thing.

~/~

The amount of time that had passed since Sakura's last mission was almost embarrassing. She didn't even know where the majority of her gear was–and that, for a ninja, was pathetic. Sakura had woken at dawn to the shrill sound of her alarm blaring, and rolled over to whack the snooze button for good measure. There was a dull ache in her head, and as she reached up to massage her temples, the events of the night before came rushing back to the foreground of her mind.

"_Shit_," she breathed, throwing back the covers. Sakura showered and dressed herself in her old ninja gear, forgoing the flak jacket until she absolutely had to put it on. She rummaged through her closet to dig up her gear and packed accordingly. By the time she finished gathering everything she thought she needed, it was almost eight o'clock. Sakura heaved her pack over her shoulders and exited the house.

To her immediate surprise, Kakashi was sitting on her porch swing with a well warn orange book cracked open in his hands. "Well this is a first," Sakura commented, resting her hands on her hips as she stared at the Copy-nin.

He glanced up from his beloved copy of _Icha Icha_ and said, "Surely you're not referring to my reading habits?"

Sakura snorted. "No, you've been reading porn in public settings for as long as I can remember; have you no shame Kakashi-sensei?" she teased him. "_That_ I'm used to. I was referring to the fact that you were ready to go before me." Kakashi's lax attitude when it came to punctuality had annoyed Sakura since she was a genin. The man was notorious for being late, and his excuses for showing up in such a fashion were downright unbelievable.

"I've been up for a while," he told her, tucking his book into a side pouch as he rose from her swing. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'll survive," Sakura allotted. Kakashi didn't need to know that she'd needed a couple of painkillers and drained two glasses of water to jump-start her system. She just hoped the meds would kick in before they started their long journey to Suna. The duo started down the sidewalk, heading for the Hokage tower.

Once they arrived, Tsunade was waiting for them and Shizune showed them into the office immediately. Sakura thought Tsunade looked tired despite the chakra control she was using to make herself appear younger than she actually was. There were dark shadows underscoring the honey color of her eyes, and a thin crease over her brow that Sakura surmised was from unrelenting stress.

"Good morning, Shishou," Sakura bowed to greet her former teacher.

"Is it?" Tsunade replied drily. "I assume the two of you were briefed by Sasuke last night?" The blond Hokage looked up from the stack of papers littering her desk. "Sorry about the impromptu visit, but I thought you should know as soon as possible."

"It's not a problem," Sakura told her. "He told us what happened."

"Then you know why I've chosen you." Tsunade nodded. "I had hoped that Root legacy would die with Danzo, but it appears my hopes were short-lived," Tsunade paused to draw a breath. "The Kazekage has agreed to host you during the extent of this mission; the two of you are to collaborate with whomever Gaara chooses to appoint. This is a B-rank espionage mission; your objective is to gather inside information on this group of rogue ninja and determine the danger they pose to society. I don't want to call for another war if I don't have to, but we can't let some rogue ninja brat try to resurrect another Root organization."

Sakura frowned as she glanced at Kakashi. Sure it had been a while since she'd been on a mission, but B-rank was almost a slap in the face since it was usually reserved for ninja who were chunin level. And Kakashi was hardly ever assigned anything below an S-rank.

"I know what you're thinking Sakura, so save it." Tsunade held up her hand. "The mission objective isn't complicated, but the subject matter _is_. Considering Sai is a member of your team I would have thought you'd be jumping at the chance to go."

"We are," Sakura said as she took a step forward. "I wouldn't be content to take the back seat on this one, believe me."

"I didn't think so." Tsunade grinned. "The hospital has been informed about your leave, and as long as you have everything you need you're both cleared to go. I'll expect updated reports on a regular basis. Good luck and stay safe," Tsunade dismissed them.

Sakura and Kakashi bowed respectfully before leaving the Hokage tower. On the sidewalks, Sakura noticed that a number of citizens were staring at the pair as they ambled towards the city gates, and she had to wonder if any of them had witnessed her fiery temper last night at the bar–or worse, caught a glimpse of the lacy panties she'd chosen to wear when Kakashi had thrown her over his shoulder. Part of her had to wonder if Kakashi himself had caught a glimpse, and the thought only caused a rush of heat to fill her cheeks. Sakura pushed that thought to the back of her mind as they exited the gates and bid the guards farewell.

Miles and miles of the emerald Fire Country forest stretched up ahead. The journey to Suna would take about three days if they kept a fast pace, and they'd have to pass through the Land of Rivers to get there. Sakura knew that Kakashi could probably do the trip blindfolded while walking backwards, but it had been a while since she'd been to Sand and would be relying on his lead. It was nice, however, to just be outside the city gates again, enjoying the warm spring sun on her back as she listened to the birds chirping in the trees.

"So," Sakura began, "how dangerous do you think this Sumire girl is?"

"Anyone in the position to influence is dangerous, Sakura. If she has followers who are willing to protect her and fight for her that makes her even more of a threat."

Sakura hated to agree but she knew Kakashi was right. "Let's hope she hasn't acquired a very large group. I imagine her forces are probably hurting now that Sasuke and his team of Anbu took out the group that attacked Naruto and Sai."

"Which means," Kakashi added as he held back a tangle of vines for Sakura, "that we'll need to be extra careful. It won't be long before Sumire realizes that Konoha's Anbu is on to her. They're probably already getting suspicious."

"Do you think they'll try to run?"

"Probably," Kakashi said. "They've managed to stay hidden for this long; they must be good at it."

Sakura didn't want to think about what that would mean. She chewed the corner of her lip and hoped to the gods they'd be able to track them down before they got away.

~/~

Night was settling over them. It was a clear evening, and Sakura could see the tiny speckles of silver stars that stretched across the vast midnight canopy. The waning moon was casting a faint glow bright enough to make out their surroundings, but since the temperature had significantly dropped, Kakashi made a small fire by the edge of the forest and placed a camouflage seal on it so it wouldn't draw any unwanted attention.

They shared a bland dinner of boiled rice and dried jerky, laughing as Kakashi teased her about what a right pain in the ass she'd been on the first real mission assigned to Team Seven when she was just a genin. "Cut it out Kakashi, I don't even like to think of the girl I used to be back then. The least you can do is spare me the torture of bad memories."

"Those were bad memories for you?" Kakashi frowned at her as he unraveled his bedroll beside the fire. Sakura was perched on top of hers with her back resting against the trunk of a tree.

"Well yeah," she admitted. "I was frightened, and I couldn't do anything but stand there and watch my teammates get hurt. At that age, my battle skills weren't exactly handy and my only real concern in life was just getting Sasuke to notice me." Sakura rolled her eyes and crossed her ankles. "Sometimes I wonder how you even tolerated my presence."

"Don't say that," Kakashi said softly. "You've always had the desire to learn, and you've always been smart. I should have recognized that at an earlier stage, and for that I'm sorry." Kakashi fell silent as he leaned back against the tree trunk, shifting his gaze to his boots.

Sakura watched the firelight flicker on Kakashi's face, creating contrast between light and shadow as it played with the contours of his mask. "You were and still are a great team leader, Kakashi. I wouldn't want to be on anyone else's team."

His gaze met hers, and she could see the corner of his eye creasing in the glow of the fire. "Well, I am honored, Sakura-chan. I'm glad you're on my team."

His admission made her smile. Sakura yawned, and attempted to cover it with her hand, but Kakashi still saw.

"You should get some sleep, Sakura. I'll take the first watch." Kakashi shifted and pulled his warn copy of _Icha Icha_ out of his pouch and cracked open the spine.

Sakura removed her boots and gloves and climbed into her bedroll, pulling the cover up to her chin as she rolled to her side. "How many times have you read that book, anyway?"

"I've lost count," he admitted.

"You don't ever get tired of the storyline?" Sakura had never read the thing cover-to-cover, but she'd picked it up once when Kakashi left it lying on her coffee table after having fallen asleep on her couch (probably after a serious injury). Curiosity had called it to her more than anything, but she flipped through the pages to find out what was so damned interesting that warranted Kakashi's constant attention. She didn't have to read very far into the story to figure out just what that _something_ consisted of. How the man managed to read it in public while maintaining such a placid expression Sakura would never know.

"Nah," Kakashi replied, flipping a page she knew he hadn't read.

"I'll bet," Sakura continued, "you can recite that thing in your sleep."

Kakashi turned his face to look at her. "Does it bother you, Sakura?"

"Does the fact that my former sensei slash team leader likes to read porny romance novels bother me?" Sakura hummed. "Well, at first I thought it made you just a pervy old man, but I've gotten used to it," she teased him.

Kakashi snapped the book shut and shot her a pointed look. "If you think the _Icha Icha_ books are just about porn, you're sorely mistaken. Jiraiya wrote an incredible storyline." Kakashi tapped the cover with his index finger as if to drive the point.

Sakura only laughed. "It's cute that you're defending your bad habits."

Kakashi narrowed his one visible eye at her. "And I'm not old," he insisted.

"No," she agreed, "you definitely aren't old." She smiled at him as he continued to stare at her, and she wondered what sort of thoughts were dancing through his mind while he chose to keep quiet. She felt the weight of his look acutely, and his attention brought on a tiny spark of heat that pooled in her chest. Sakura held his gaze, her face relaxing as his finally turned away. She studied his profile when he opened his book again, admiring the look of his long, nimble fingers. Though scarred in several places, Sakura thought Kakashi had rather elegant hands. They were callused as a man's should be, and she wondered what it would feel like to have them caressing the softer planes of her skin…

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?" he responded without looking up from his book.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure," he said, "though, I may not be inclined to answer."

She grinned, propping her arm beneath her head. "Why do you wear the mask?"

Kakashi looked up, but not at her. Instead his gaze seemed to focus on the gypsy flames of the fire and the coals in the pit that were burning red. She watched his chest expand as he drew breath, and listened to the slow sound of his exhale. "When I was a kid," Kakashi told her, "I wasn't very good at concealing my expressions. Showing emotion can be fatal mistake for a ninja, so I chose to wear it in hopes of remaining a mystery," Kakashi paused. "I'm not bragging, but I graduated the Academy at age five. I guess you could say I was something of a child-prodigy and people noticed. So the mask became part of my identity."

Sakura had a feeling he was editing part of the story, but she hadn't expected him to even give her that much. "I always thought it was because everyone thought you looked like your dad."

Kakashi's head snapped in her direction, and for a moment she thought maybe she'd overstepped her boundaries. But then he let out a small chuckle, the deep sound catching in the back of his throat. "There is also that," he admitted.

"So you're not actually hiding anything you're ashamed of under there?"

Kakashi shook his head, watching the way Sakura seemed to be studying his face.

"Will you ever show me?"

Kakashi remained silent for a moment, and Sakura's eyelids were growing heavy with sleep. She wanted to see his face, but she very much doubted seeing it would change the way she felt about him. "Maybe someday," he told her softly. "Go to sleep, Sakura-chan."

* * *

**Hey everyone! I wanted to thank the reviewers for all the comments and likes. I love hearing from you, and I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far!**

**Happy reading!**

**~Sparrow **


	5. The Art of Anatomy and Physiology

Chapter Five

The Art of Anatomy and Physiology

* * *

Kakashi woke her a few hours before dawn. He'd kept the fire burning, and Sakura could feel the warmth of it from her cocooned sleeping arrangements. She'd stirred only when his palm covered her shoulder; his thumb brushing across her skin. He'd extended a mug of steaming tea as Sakura sat up. "Thank you," she said. "You let me sleep too long."

"I wanted to finish a few chapters anyway," Kakashi told her. "Wake me up in three?"

"You should sleep longer than that." Sakura sipped on her tea, watching as Kakashi pulled the jonin sweater over his head, choosing to sleep in only his undershirt as he crawled into his bedroll.

"Three hours is fine," he insisted. "Oh, and I like my eggs scrambled."

Sakura rolled her eyes at the turn of a smile. "I'll be sure to rustle us up a couple of chickens in their natural environment of Fire Country's forest while you're napping." Her tone was laced thick with sarcasm.

"That's all I'm asking," Kakashi teased as he laid flat on his stomach and rested his head against his arm. He pulled his forehead protector over both eyes to block out the early morning rays that would be filtering through the branches in a couple short hours.

Sakura finished her tea in silence; waiting for the change in Kakashi's breathing before she unzipped her bedroll and reached for her pack. There was a creek nearby, so she took her things to the edge of the bank to freshen up, shivering in the pale, violet light of the early morning as she washed up and changed into her gear. She crept back to the campsite to sit next to the fire as the cool air swept across her shoulders, raising goose bumps on her arms.

Kakashi was out. She envied how quickly the man could fall asleep, tilting her head to study the steady rise and fall of his shoulders. Sakura wished she could curl up in the warmth of her bedroll, but she knew she'd be at risk for falling back asleep if she did. 'The waiting' was always Sakura's least favorite part of a mission. While she didn't get bored easily, most of her missions had been assigned with more than two people, and she'd at least been able to spar with a teammate while the other was sleeping. If only there was something she could do to help pass the time while Kakashi slept…

Sakura chewed on the inside of her cheek, spying just a small fraction of the orange book sticking out of Kakashi's pack that was sitting on the opposite side of his bedroll.

No. _No way_. She wasn't that desperate.

Or was she?

Sakura drummed her fingertips across her knee, debating for a millisecond if reading Kakashi's smutty romance novel would be worth the harassment he was sure to give her when he realized that she'd given in to temptation. She could always just tell him her interests were purely clinical–that she was doing research for… anatomy and physiology. Yeah. That was totally going to work. _Not_!

Sakura held her breath as she crawled the short distance between their two bedrolls; she lifted off her knees as she approached his head, slowly stretching across him as she reached for his book. Kakashi stirred, hand darting out to close around Sakura's knee.

She froze; heart leaping into her throat as she glanced down at the Copy-nin who was remarkably still asleep. Sakura was afraid to move. She watched Kakashi's hand loosen, sliding down her leg but not fully letting go. She was so close… just one more inch and _there_! She had it. She clutched the book to her chest before slowly peeling Kakashi's fingers from her leg. Even in his sleep Kakashi's instincts were sharp–maybe not sharp like the edge of a kunai, but sharp like a butter knife. Or maybe his subconscious was comfortable with Sakura's presence, and he'd only been reacting to her nearness. Either way, Sakura decided to slink back to her bedroll as quietly as possible and tucked herself against the base of the tree.

If she was going to read the smutty thing, she at least wanted to be comfortable.

~/~

Kakashi woke to the scent of jasmine and vanilla. His forehead protector was slipping off his face, and the bright light of dawn bled through his closed eyelids, turning his vision red. He covered his eyes with the back of his arm, grumbling what probably sounded like a string of unintelligible banter, but in Kakashi's head sounded something like: _Too bright; must sleep longer. _

Musical laughter filled his ears, and he remembered where he was. He cracked an eyelid, peeking out at the pink-haired kunoichi rolling up her sleeping gear beside him. _How could he have forgotten_? Sakura was a vision in pink and red, and when she leaned forward to stuff something into her pack, he caught a glimpse of the tiny black shorts she was wearing and noted how toned her legs looked–all the while mentally slapping himself for having these thoughts first thing upon waking.

She turned to look at him, pink hair falling over her shoulder. "Good morning, Senpai. Did you sleep well?"

"Not long enough," Kakashi grumbled–this time more audibly as he flipped onto his back and covered his eyes with the back of his arm. Sakura had stolen his hitai-ate. He'd caught a glimpse of it tucked in the waistband of her pink skirt. _Tempting_…

"I let you sleep for four hours instead of your requested three," she told him. Kakashi could hear her shuffling around beside him, presumably packing his gear for him.

"I don't smell those scrambled eggs," he complained with a hint of a smile she couldn't see.

"I guess you'll just have to settle for dried fruit and a protein pouch." Sakura's tone was light and airy, like a mother placating her pouting child. Kakashi didn't like it. He cracked his eyelid open and glowered at her but she only laughed. "Come on Kakashi, we're losing daylight, get your lazy bones rolling."

"Says the woman who's been awake for four hours." Kakashi relented, rolling himself in a half sitting position with one leg stretched out, and the other bent towards his chest as he leaned forward. He scrubbed a hand through the back of his hair, shaking the strands that were falling in his eyes without his hitai-ate. When he finished rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Sakura handed him a mug of warm tea; her fingertips brushing his with the exchange.

Was he imagining things, or was her touch purposely lingering? Kakashi glanced up, meeting her spring-green eyes. There was… something new, he thought, in the way she was looking at him.

"Think we'll make it to Tanigakure by dinner?" she asked him.

"Probably," Kakashi answered. "Tired of dried food already?"

"I just thought it might be nice to drop by and visit Kayo at that little restaurant her family owns," Sakura said as she kicked dirt over the coals in their campfire, extinguishing the remaining faintly-glowing embers. Ash rose into the air, dancing in a tangled spiral.

"Kayo," he repeated, trying to place the name. He knew it sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure why.

"They make the really good daifuku–you remember?"

Kakashi didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but he knew that Sakura made it a point to try out the local desserts when they had a break in their mission. "Oh, sure, the daifuku," he said.

Sakura shot him a look. "You don't remember."

"Should I?" He scratched the underside of his chin.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the ground as she finished packing their supplies away. "Last time we were there it was your birthday," she told him. "We were on our way back from that courier mission. Naruto and I bought your dinner and the staff sang to you. I would have thought you'd remember, considering how embarrassed you were." She giggled.

Ah yes, _now_ he remembered. "Sakura," Kakashi breathed her name, "I am never embarrassed."

"Yeah, okay." She snorted. "I seem to remember what was visible of your cheek turning a shade of pink that was darker than my hair."

Kakashi rolled himself off his sleeping gear and began packing it away. It was true he'd been uncomfortable with the attention, mostly because Kakashi didn't really celebrate his birthday's and Sakura usually made a much bigger deal about it than necessary–though he supposed no one would if she didn't. And if he were being honest with himself, it was nice to know she remembered and cared enough to celebrate him.

"Need the hitai-ate," he mumbled.

"You _need_ a haircut," Sakura replied, handing over the length of blue fabric. She whipped a kunai out of her hip pouch and spun the handle around her index finger. "I'll be happy to do it for you." She grinned at him wickedly.

"You're letting yours grow out." Kakashi tied the band around his head, sliding the fabric over his Sharingan eye. Sakura's delicate brows arched high on her forehead as if she were surprised he'd noticed. Hard not to, he thought as she tucked a lock behind her ear. Her hair looked nice at any length, but he was particularly fond of the way it fell against her shoulder blades.

Sakura hoisted her pack on her shoulders as Kakashi shrugged into his long-sleeved jonin shirt. "_So_ not the same thing," she insisted as they started on their morning trek.

Kakashi slid his own pack onto his shoulders, adjusting the straps as they drifted beneath the emerald canopy of the treetops. "So," Kakashi said a moment later, "how far did you get?"

A thin line creased Sakura's brows as she glanced at him. "How far did I get with what?"

"_Icha Icha_," he stated, watching color dust the sharp blades of Sakura's cheekbones. Her lips parted as she looked down at her boots and Kakashi grinned.

"How did you know?" she asked in a tone of mild disbelief.

"You put it back in the wrong compartment," he told her, still grinning beneath the folds of his mask.

"Damn," she hissed. "I should have known."

Kakashi pulled back a layer of thick vines as Sakura stepped through the nature-made curtain. For a brief moment, he wished this weren't a mission. He wondered what it would be like to just take a stroll through the woods because he wanted to walk with her and enjoy conversation without the weight of deadlines and the risk factor involved.

The life of a shinobi was the only path Kakashi knew–he'd been walking it for so long, thinking about simple things, like talking to a beautiful woman about nothing in particular simply because he just wanted to share her company was almost a foreign concept for him. He knew that these missions–that this way of life–had brought the two of them together, and somehow shaped a friendship that Kakashi knew in his bones was real. It was all the little things, Kakashi thought, that made it clear–mission or no mission–that Sakura wanted him to be a part of her life.

"I only made it about five chapters," Sakura said, pulling him from his inner thoughts. "I was reading slow, absorbing the details so I wouldn't miss anything important."

Kakashi lifted an eyebrow and glanced her way. "You're not giving up on it are you?"

"Oh no," Sakura said, "I have a feeling it's just starting to get good."

~/~

Sakura's muscles were burning by the time they'd left the forest and made the hike into Tanigakure. The village was a little rustic; nestled in a low valley with a river running through and flowering magnolia trees dotting the landscape. The sun was beaming down through a cloudless azure sky, and Sakura had piled her hair on top of her head in effort to keep herself cool. The duo had ducked beneath the awning of a general store, taking shelter from the sweltering heat of the unrelenting sun.

"Always know when we're getting closer to Suna," Sakura commented as she leaned against the side of the building. A light sheen of sweat had glossed her skin, and the breeze flowing beneath the awning felt incredible.

"Hungry?" Kakashi asked, casually leaning against the wall beside her as he tucked his hands in his pockets. He'd rolled his sleeves back, exposing the taut skin of his forearms.

"I could eat," Sakura said. She heard the little brass bell jingle against the shop door, and turned her head to see a woman with long dark hair exiting the store. She was accompanied by a small child, probably around the age of four with big brown eyes that were focused on Kakashi–or rather his mask and his one covered eye.

"Look at that strange man, mommy. Why is he wearing a mask?" the little girl said as she pointed a spit-covered finger in Kakashi's direction.

"Mayu!" the woman gasped, eyes widening at her daughter's outburst. "I'm so sorry," she apologized to Kakashi and tried to avoid direct eye contact. To her daughter she said, "It isn't polite to say such things. That man is a ninja. You should apologize."

"I'm sorry," the little girl replied, sounding indifferent on the whole matter as the woman dragged her away from the store front with haste.

"It's okay," Kakashi said, but the two were already half down the street and Sakura was fairly certain they hadn't heard.

"Konoha's legendary Copy-nin scaring mothers and fascinating children since the dawn of civilization," Sakura joked. Kakashi just shot her a pointed look, pushing himself off the wall. "Oh come on Kakashi, don't be so uptight. It's not like these people see a lot of ninja on a regular basis, and let's be honest, you_ do_ look kind of intimidating."

"How so?"

"You're kidding right?" Sakura jumped down from the porch and landed next to his side. The sun hit the back of her neck and she felt the burn she must have acquired from their trek stinging her skin. "Like, ten percent of your face is visible."

"That makes me intimidating?" Kakashi lifted an eyebrow.

"_That_ among the uniform and the deadly weapons you have hidden all over your person." Sakura reached into his hip pouch and retrieved a kunai faster than he could blink his exposed eye. She twirled the handle around her index finger and grinned at him. "You're not getting slow on me are you?"

"Where is this restaurant you wanted to go to?"

Sakura's grin only widened. She slipped the kunai back into his hip pouch and linked her arm with his at the elbow. Kakashi was so much fun to tease. "I believe it's just around the corner here." They turned down a narrow side street, and Sakura breathed in the different scents in the air. There were street vendors with food carts, and the mouthwatering smells were making her stomach grumble. She finally recognized the blue scalloped awning of the restaurant and tugged Kakashi through the doorway.

"Good evening," the hostess greeted them. She was wearing a white yukata with green and pink flowers embroidered on the sleeves. "Will it just be the two of you?"

"Yes," Sakura replied. "Is Kayo-san working today?"

The hostess looked back over her shoulder as she led the pair into the dining hall. It wasn't crowded, but Sakura noticed that they were drawing stray, wandering eyes as the hostess led them to their table. "You know Kayo?" she sounded surprised.

"It's been a couple of years, but we stopped in for this guy's birthday and she brought us out a tray of her best daifuku." Sakura gently laid her palm on Kakashi's bicep. "We just wanted to say hi if she was here."

"I'll let her know." The hostess bowed politely and left Kakashi and Sakura to their own devices.

Kakashi plucked the laminated menus from the metal holder at the end of the table, and handed one to Sakura before opening his. Sakura found what she wanted to order in less than a minute and decided the menu could be used for dual purposes as she began fanning herself. The restaurant had air conditioning but it was circulating weakly, and their booth was located in the far corner of the room next to the kitchen doors. The heat from the ovens were escaping through the cracks, she shifted uncomfortably, feeling the back of her thighs sticking against the vinyl upholstery.

A blond girl with a short crop of spiky hair appeared at the head of their table; she pulled a pad of paper from her apron pocket and held a pen at the ready. "Good evening, my name is Reina and I'll be your waitress. What can I get you to start off with?" The girl smiled at them.

Kakashi and Sakura placed their orders and watched as their waitress wandered through the kitchen doors. The hostess was leading another couple past their table, showing them to a booth that was positioned across the room, diagonally from theirs.

Sakura watched as Kakashi stiffened. His one visible eye flashed up to hers; his body posturing to the equivalent of a wary dog raising its hackles. She turned her head a fraction to the side, pretending to drop her napkin on the floor so she had an excuse to look behind her as she retrieved it.

Sakura surveyed the couple, noting the drab condition of their clothing, and the saw that the male was wearing a Mist hitai-ate, the female, though dressed similarly, didn't have a forehead protector. In a low tone, Sakura said, "What's a Mist ninja doing in the Land of Rivers?"

"Awful long way from home," Kakashi commented. "One of them was recently wounded. I can smell it."

Sakura cringed. "You think they followed us?"

Kakashi didn't have time to reply. A woman appeared in front of them; she was wearing a light purple yukata with white embroidered lilies splayed down the side. Her length of onyx hair was done up in an ornate braid, a thick end trailing over her shoulder. "Well I'll be," the woman said, placing her hands on her slender hips. "I didn't believe Shynah when she told me that a pink-haired woman and a masked man were here to see me."

Sakura smiled up at the woman. "Hello Kayo-san. It's lovely to see you again."

"It's wonderful to have you both." Kayo bowed. "If I recall, this one's birthday isn't until the fall," she said, placing a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, "though I wouldn't be opposed to singing if it will make him blush again." She laughed.

Kakashi cleared his throat, tugging at the part of his mask that covered his neck, and Sakura had to bite her lip to keep from smiling at his expense.

"What brings you back to Tanigakure–other than the daifuku of course?" Kayo asked them.

"We were visiting friends in the next village," Sakura lied. She hated doing it, but she couldn't risk exposure–especially now that they had another mystery on their hands sitting much too close for comfort. "We wanted to stop in and say hello before we make the return journey."

"Well I'm glad you did. I'll be sure that Reina sends you out with a box of today's daifuku, it'll be on the house." Kayo squeezed Kakashi's shoulder and gave Sakura a pat on the hand. "Tell me, how are your other companions fairing? Oh, what were their names again, Nar–"

"–They're doing great!" Sakura cut the woman off and scrunched her eyes up as her mouth split into an unnaturally wide smile. Perhaps stopping here hadn't been a good idea after all. If the two nin sitting across from them didn't know who they were before, they probably did now.

Kayo giggled, covering her mouth with her dainty hand. "Be sure to tell them I said hello when you see them next."

"Oh, we will," Sakura assured her.

"I was wondering," Kakashi began in his smooth even timbre, "since it will be getting kind of late to do much traveling after dinner, what places you might recommend staying for the night?"

Sakura shot Kakashi a look, but his gaze remained fixed on Kayo. "Well," the woman said, "there's a quaint inn not a mile up the road but they usually don't have any vacancy for last-minute arrivals." Kayo tapped her bottom lip as she contemplated. "If you're just looking for a comfortable place to sleep for the night and don't care much about modern luxury, there's also the Jade Dragon. A nice older couple runs the place but it is a bit outdated."

"Outdated usually means cheaper," Kakashi noted. "Thank you, Kayo-san."

"Of course." She bowed. "Be sure to let me know if you need anything else. It was wonderful to see you again." Kayo smiled at the two ninja before departing.

Not a minute later Reina returned with their dinner order and sat the steaming plates in front of them. Kakashi picked up his roll of utensils and began unraveling them slowly from their bindings.

"Are they watching us?" Sakura whispered as she broke her chopsticks apart with one hand.

"Just listening," Kakashi's tone was so low that Sakura had to second guess what he'd said.

"Mm," she grumbled in reply. "You want to switch with me so they don't catch you with your mask down?"

The look Kakashi gave her could have stopped pedestrian foot-traffic at rush hour. Sakura pressed her lips together before turning her attention back to her food. Dinner would be a quiet affair, but she supposed that was safest. She could only guess what Kakashi had up his sleeve in terms of asking Kayo about a place to stay for the night. Sakura knew from experience that he preferred the forest to a room–unless the mission pay also covered hotel expenses. She surmised Kakashi was probably trying to bait the other nin into following them.

When they finished their meal, and covered the cost of the bill, Reina sent them packing with a to-go box stuffed to the brim with an array of colorful daifuku. Sakura cradled the white box in her arms as they ambled down the street. The sun had set, and the temperature had cooled some. It was still a pleasantly warm evening without the weight of humidity clinging in the air. Kakashi walked beside her, close enough that her shoulder kept brushing the sleeve of his bicep.

"Nice night," he commented, gazing up at the twinkling silver stars dotting the navy-blue arc of the sky. His hands were tucked in his pockets, but Sakura could tell by the rigid set of his shoulders that he was more than likely clutching the handle of a kunai as they walked.

"Beautiful," Sakura agreed. They walked several more yards before the streets thinned and the streetlights marked an end to the heart of town. Kayo had told them that the Jade Dragon was on the outskirts, '_just keep following the sidewalk until it ends and then you'll be able to spot the little green lantern hanging from the inn's awning_.' "We're being followed aren't we?"

"To our left in the trees," Kakashi said in an unruffled tone.

"Think they know who we are?"

Kakashi nodded. "My guess is they're scouts. We can't let them report our location, Sakura."

Sakura sighed. "I'm going to have to abandon this box of daifuku, aren't I?"

"Probably."

"Dammit." She'd really been looking forward to the tasty treats and pouted as she looked down at the box–wrapped up in a pink bow to match the color of her hair–in her arms; she was already mourning her loss.

"I'll get you another one."

For whatever reason, this declaration caused Sakura to halt in her steps as she glanced up at the man beside her. It wasn't like Kakashi hadn't gone out of his way to treat her before, but there was something in his tone this time that she hadn't heard before…

Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to contemplate what that something was because a gleaming object curved in the line of her vision. Before Sakura could blink, Kakashi had pulled his kunai from his pocket, spinning as his blade made contact with the thrown shuriken and deflected its attack. Sakura dropped her box and kicked it across the street with the side of her boot in one last futile attempt to save her treats as the two nin jumped down into the street.

"Ninja from the Hidden Leaf," the male spoke; his voice grated against Sakura's ears like crunching gravel. "Tell me, what brings you to Tanigakure?"

"You wouldn't perhaps be on your way to Suna, would you?" the female asked. She was a little taller than Sakura, but like Kakashi, the woman wore a mask and had a sand-colored hood pulled up over her head. Strands of light blue hair fell across her forehead.

"Just visiting friends," Kakashi replied in a bored-sounding tone. "What brings you all the way from Mist?"

"The dawn of a new era," The man replied with a feral grin and an icy shiver crawled up the back of Sakura's spine. His teeth were filed down into sharp needle-like points. He reminded her of Kisame Hoshigaki, and she had to wonder if perhaps they were related. This man was every bit as big as him, too. "I'm sorry, Kakashi of the Sharingan, but I'm afraid your journey ends here." The man drew a sword from his back; the sharp blade catching the gleam of liquid moonlight in its reflection.

Sakura channeled her chakra into her hands, aiming her first power-filled blow to the swordsman's gut. She sent him sailing backwards, body bowing as he landed against the trunk of a tree sending splinters of bark and branches flying from the impact. The female ninja used the opportunity to throw a handful of senbon, but Kakashi easily deflected them with the blade of his kunai. He drew his sword with his other hand and ran at the man while Sakura twisted low to the ground knocking the female's legs out from under her. Before the female could right herself, Sakura landed a blow right to her gut.

"Who sent you?" Sakura threw herself on top of the female, pinning her wrists in one hand while she held the blade of her kunai against her throat with her other. She'd pulled her mask down to make sure the blade was pressing against the vital artery.

"Why should I talk when you're only going to kill me?" the female spat.

Sakura pressed the sharpest point of her kunai into the woman's throat in response, drawing a line of scarlet. "Who sent you?" she repeated through clenched teeth. She'd draw out the torture to get the answers if she had to.

"We're scouts from Sumire's army," the woman replied, struggling beneath Sakura's grip. "We were sent to look for our missing comrades."

"Have you been to the Hidden Leaf?"

"That's where we were heading." The woman grit her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as she struggled to gain control over Sakura. Her hips were pinned down by Sakura's knees, and she had no hope for escaping while Sakura still held the upper hand in chakra control. That had always been the enemies first mistake–they underestimated her abilities based on looks alone.

"How many are in your army? Where is your base?"

"Go to hell," the female said, spitting in Sakura's face. She smiled manically, biting down on something she'd tucked in the pouch of her upper jaw. Within mere seconds the woman's eyes lulled back in her head; her body began violently convulsing as white foam poured thick over the sides of her mouth.

"Cyanide," Sakura breathed out, rolling herself off the woman as she looked around for Kakashi. She could hear him thrashing in the wooded area to her right, and dashed through the line of trees until she spotted a flash of his white hair, illuminated in the light of the moon. "Kakashi!"

The big man flashed behind Kakashi, driving his elbow down against his spine–_right_ between his shoulder blades. Sakura heard the sickening crunch of his bones popping as Kakashi hit his knees, catching himself with his palms before he could face-plant against the grass. Kakashi rolled himself to his back, raising his sword as the man brought his down; metal clashing against metal. Sakura ran towards them, throwing her kunai and aiming at the man's neck.

The blade hit its desired target, slicing into the man's flesh as blood spurted from the open wound. The man let up, hand flying to his neck to check his wound. Kakashi seized on the moment, driving his blade through the man's gut and kicked out with his leg, sending him toppling to the ground with a thud.

"Kakashi!" Sakura slid to the ground beside him, scraping her knee in the process. "Are you all right?" Her glowing hands found purchase on his chest, sending her chakra into his body to search for signs of damage. A couple of his vertebrae had been fractured, and there was a tear in the muscle of his abdomen. Sakura looked down, staring at the four-inch shuriken half buried in Kakashi's lower stomach. "Can you move your legs?" she asked, trying to keep the panic out of her strained voice.

Kakashi nodded. "I can still feel everything, believe me." He grunted in pain as he tried to lift his head, but Sakura smoothed her hand over his hair, urging him to lie still. "Did you get our girl?"

"She crunched down on a cyanide capsule to avoid answering my questions, but yeah, she's dead." Sakura positioned herself behind Kakashi's head, pushing her thumbs into either side of his spine as she cradled his head in her lap for leverage. "I'm going to work on your spine, but I'd prefer to dig that shuriken out of your muscle somewhere a little more sterile."

"There's always the Jade Dragon," Kakashi said, eye squeezing shut as Sakura sent her healing jutsu through his damaged vertebrae.

Sakura lifted her eyebrows. "Wow, you must really be hurting if you're willing to splurge on a hotel room."

Kakashi attempted to laugh but the sound caught in the back of his throat, falling short in a pained grunt. "We should use a transportation scroll to send their bodies back to Tsunade. She'll need to know that we had a run-in with rogue scouts."

"Let me worry about that. You don't need to overexert yourself, okay?" Sakura finished healing his damaged vertebrae and helped him sit against one of the tree trunks while she busied herself with the scroll work. She needed to keep moving. Her hands were shaking and she was doing a poor job concealing the plethora of emotions that were spiraling out of control in her head.

She'd almost lost him… _again_.

She'd seen him fight stronger opponents and come out much worse for wear, but this time watching Kakashi fall had sent a bolt of white-hot panic coursing through her veins, and something else she didn't quite understand squeezing at her heart. It wasn't just fear or concern for her teammate–that much she knew. It went much deeper than that, igniting some sort of primal instinct within her.

As she looked back over her shoulder, watching the way the moonlight haloed Kakashi in the embrace of her glow; Sakura thought that just maybe… she was falling for him.

* * *

**Thanks for hanging in there with this one; it was a bit longer than the other chapters.**

**Also, I wanted to note that even though my story takes place after the 4th Shinobi War, I wanted my version of Kakashi to keep his Sharingan. **

***I don't want to spoil anything, but I hope y'all are ready for some actual 'feels.' The next chapter just might be laden with them!**

**As always, happy reading and many thanks,**

**~Sparrow **


	6. The Art of Daifuku and a Single Bed

Chapter Six

The Art of Daifuku and a Single Bed

* * *

Kakashi's arm was draped heavily across Sakura's shoulders and her palm was pressed to the center of his sternum for added support as they wandered down the dirt street. Sakura kept her eyes focused on the green porch light growing larger with each step they took as Kakashi's steady heartbeat pulsed against her hand. "We're almost there," Sakura told him. She'd zipped him into his flak jacket in effort to conceal the shuriken protruding from his abdomen and the dark patch of blood that had saturated his clothing.

Soft music greeted them as Sakura hauled Kakashi through the doorway. The lobby was cramped with aged furniture, and the air was tinged with the scent of stale cigarette smoke. Sakura thought she could see yellowing stains on the floral printed wallpaper, and spotted various ashtrays decorating the end tables. Kayo had been right about the inn's antiquated décor, but Sakura's only concern was making sure they were safe so she could free the embedded blades of the shuriken from Kakashi's stomach. They made it to the counter, and Sakura spotted a little metal bell hidden among the piles of haphazardly strewn paperwork and tapped it twice.

A brief moment passed before a short man with a thick midsection parted a curtain of wooden beads and stepped up behind the counter. The overhead light gleamed against his shiny bald head, and judging by the thick salt-and-pepper mustache framing his upper lip, Sakura figured his face was the only location he was capable of growing hair. "Ah, good evening and welcome to the Jade Dragon." The man bowed. "You may call me Mr. Nakamura; how can I help you?" The innkeeper looked up, stringy brows knitting as he scrutinized the pair.

"Good evening Mr. Nakamura. We'd like a room please," Sakura said, taking the lead. She knew it was taking all of Kakashi's concentration just to hold his head up. "Two double beds if you've got them."

Mr. Nakamura licked his index finger, searching through the piles of paper until he drew forth a thick ringed-binder. He turned the page, following the trail of illegible chicken scratch until he glanced up from his book and said, "One room, one regular-sized bed is all I have left."

"We'll take it," she told the innkeeper. They couldn't afford to be picky, and it wasn't like they hadn't shared a room before. Granted, most of those rooms came with two beds, but on the rare occasion they didn't, Kakashi had always taken the floor.

"Sign here," Mr. Nakamura said, pushing the book in Sakura's direction. She dropped her left hand from Kakashi's chest, scrawling a fake name across the bottom line since they never signed their real names during missions for safety-sake. The innkeeper squinted up at them as he handed them a key attached to a placard that was inscribed with gold numbers. "Ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, eh?"

"Yep, that's right," Sakura said.

"We don't see many ninja in our neck of the woods." He puckered his lips thoughtfully. "I won't ask why you're here, but I expect you not to create any trouble." His eyes lingered on Kakashi as he spoke.

"There won't be any trouble, Mr. Nakamura," Sakura assured him. "Thank you for the room." She held up the key and led Kakashi down the narrow hall towards the elevator. There was also a set of stairs to her right, but she wasn't sure Kakashi had the energy to make it up two flights with a massive shuriken gouging his side. Sakura pressed the button and waited for what felt like an eternity for the doors to screech open. When they did, Sakura tapped the button for the second floor with her boot so she wouldn't have to shuffle Kakashi around anymore than necessary.

"How are you holding up?" she asked him once the doors closed and they began their slow ascension.

"Oh, I'm just fine." He managed to sound bored while slumped heavily against her. _Gods_, she wanted to punch him for having such a blasé attitude when she knew he was in terrible pain. In fact, she would have to punch him for lying _after_ she'd healed him.

The elevator lurched to a halt and the ancient doors squealed open, metallic hinges and joints all groaning in complaint. Sakura glanced down at the number embossed on her keychain and made a left-hand turn out of the elevator as she dragged Kakashi down the hall. Their room was the second to last at the end; Sakura slipped the key inside the lock and twisted the brass handle.

Stale air assaulted her nose upon entering the small room, but Sakura inspected the dark green comforter that matched the color of the carpet and determined that it was clean. The tiny air conditioning unit in their window hissed and rattled like loose change in a tin can; _that_ she would have to kill when she got a proper chance, but for now there were more pressing things that required her immediate attention. Sakura dropped their bags at the foot of the bed, maneuvering Kakashi against the pillows while she kneeled on the carpet to retrieve her medical kit from her bag.

"Let's get that flak jacket off," Sakura said, working it from his shoulders while she helped him lean against her. Kakashi winced, squeezing his eyes shut as Sakura gently laid him back against the pillows. His jonin shirt would have to be cut away for her to work properly. Pursing her lips in concentration, Sakura retrieved a pair of medical sheers and began cutting the fabric away from the pieces of sharp metal sticking out of his skin. She snipped clear to his collar, carefully parting the halves of his shirt until the perfect canvas of his body was exposed for her eyes alone.

She'd be lying if she said her heart never lodged itself in the back of her throat just from glimpsing the planes of his muscled form on the rare occasion she'd caught him without his shirt, but now wasn't the time to admire the vast expanse of lean muscle. She could feel Kakashi watching her so she peeled the fingerless gloves from her hands, trading them for the latex medical gloves she kept stashed in her med kit.

"I'm going to sterilize the area before I remove the blades," Sakura told him. She tore an antiseptic wipe out of a packet and cleaned the area around the wound. His abdomen clenched and he inhaled sharply; Sakura paused to look at him, a silent question lingering on her parted lips.

"S'cold," he mumbled.

The corners of her lips curled slightly as she continued to disinfect the area. "Doesn't complain about the shuriken sticking out of his abdomen but a little cold wipe on the other hand…" She got up to dispose the bloody wipe in the bathroom trashcan and returned with a towel. "Just curious," she said as she sat down beside him. "How many bones do you think you've broken in your lifetime?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe all of them?" he joked.

Sakura released a small bubble of laughter as she opened a packaged scalpel from her set of tools. "I guess that makes you lucky… you've always had a medic on your team." Sakura glanced up at him and saw a dark shadow pass behind his one visible iris. Her eyebrows creased as she reached for his hand. "Kakashi, I wasn't trying to insinuate you wouldn't be okay without me. You're Konoha's legendary Copy-nin for the love of the First."

"It's not that…" Kakashi breathed.

"Then what is it?" Very carefully, Sakura inserted the tip of the scalpel where the blades were planted into Kakashi's skin, making a miniscule incision so she could free the wicked device without damaging any more of his tissue.

Kakashi groaned, curling his hand into a fist beneath hers. She let go of his hand, bracing her palm against his ribs so she could pull the blade out and hold him still at the same time. In one swift movement, the shuriken came free. A fresh current of blood began oozing from his opened wound, dripping over his hip as Sakura pressed the towel to his side. She tore off her gloves and summoned healing chakra into her hands, pressing them firmly over Kakashi's wound.

"Thank you," he grunted.

"Thank me by finishing what you were about to tell me," Sakura prompted. "I saw that tortured look Kakashi, you can't hide from me."

~/~

But _gods_, how he wanted to… Sakura had always been able to read him; even though he was wearing a mask, she'd learned how to read the expressions within his eye. He didn't know if he should be impressed or terrified that she'd long since figured out how to pluck apart the seams of his exterior until she saw him for what he really was–a man capable of feeling.

"You're not the only medic I've had on my team," Kakashi admitted. "I know you're aware of what happened to my previous teammates and my sensei. You probably pieced it all together during the last shinobi war."

Sakura's eyes softened as she looked at him. "I made you think of Rin with my comment, didn't I?" She lowered her gaze from his, focusing instead on her hands that were spread over his skin.

Kakashi didn't know what to say. He never talked about his personal life with anyone; he never needed anyone to console him or tell him that everything was going to be okay because he'd accepted the burden of grief long ago, carrying it in solitude. He still thought of his old teammates–still visited Rin's grave regularly to chat, and spent a great deal of time at the Memorial Stone where Obito and Minato-sensei's names were engraved. After the Fourth Shinobi War, Kakashi finally made peace with their deaths, but that didn't mean he still didn't miss them.

Sakura was the first to speak after a moment of silence. "You're a good man, Hatake Kakashi."

A knot formed in Kakashi's chest, and he massaged the ache with the heel of his hand while he looked at her. "You really believe that?"

"With all of my heart." She smiled at him, demurely, and Kakashi had never seen that look on her face before. "In truth, we're the lucky ones to have had you on our team. I can think of about twenty times just off the top of my head that I would have been dead if you hadn't saved me."

"Has it only been twenty? Seems a little low to me…"

Sakura swatted his bicep with the back of her hand, grinning despite his lame joke. He could feel her chakra healing him from the inside out as the jutsu worked to seal his torn flesh. It tingled really, kind of like how one's leg might fall asleep if they sat in the same position for too long.

As she finished healing him, Sakura's fingertips lightly brushed over his skin. Her touch was purely professional–a clinical observation she'd made to check her work, but Kakashi's skin still fluttered beneath her touch and he wondered if she noticed.

"I never asked you," Kakashi began as Sakura stood up from the bed, carrying the bloody towel into the bathroom, "did our girl give you any information before she died?"

"A little," Sakura called from the open doorway. "They were scouts from Sumire's army. They were on their way to Konoha to track down their missing comrades."

"That'll be the group Sasuke and the other Anbu wiped out," Kakashi commented. He managed to sit up, still feeling the strain in his muscles from the fight as he peeled the ruined fabric of his jonin shirt from his shoulders and tossed it to the floor.

"I'm worried Sumire's army is bigger than we were expecting," Sakura said. She returned to the foot of the bed, unfastening the buckles of her leg guards. "If the female nin was willing to die for her cause, that tells me they had something worth protecting in their eyes. That man was all the way from Kirigakure, and who knows where the woman was from–though I highly suspect she was a rogue from Sand. Seems to me like Sumire is building a multifaceted army with multifaceted jutsu abilities."

Kakashi braced his palms on either side of the bed, watching as Sakura stripped out of her boots and began undoing the ties of her skirt. _Yes_–she was still wearing shorts beneath them, but that didn't mean he wasn't thinking about those layers coming off just the same. "The desert is a pretty big place," Kakashi said thoughtfully, "she could very well be hiding a large army right under Gaara's nose and he would be none the wiser."

Sakura sighed, picking up her pack as she slung it over her shoulder. "On one hand, a larger army means she wouldn't be able to run without someone noticing. On the other, we might be lacking strength in numbers if it comes down to a fight."

"We can always call for backup if that's the case. Plus, we're allied with Suna and Gaara will want to be a part of the fight."

"True," Sakura agreed. "I'm going to hop in the shower, but _you_," she said, pointing her index finger at him, "need to rest. I can hit you with another round of healing jutsu in the morning."

"I'm fine, Sakura. You healed me."

"The major wounds, yes, but don't think I wasn't able to sense all your other mild aches and pains with my chakra." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I think the keyword in that whole argument is '_mild_,'" Kakashi said, scratching the stubble that was poking through the fabric of his mask.

"Don't be obstinate, Kakashi. You know as well as I that ninja should always be at their full strength. It's just plain irresponsible otherwise."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. Wasn't he usually the one giving Sakura this spiel? Perhaps they were just both admittedly terrible at looking after themselves. It was one of the many reasons they worked so well together on and off the team; they took turns looking after each other.

Sakura closed the bathroom door, and he waited until she turned the shower on before he got off the bed, gingerly pulling his boots off before retrieving his pack and rooting around for his toothbrush. He tapped on the bathroom door with his knuckles. "You decent?"

"I'm naked in the shower, what do you think?" came her muffled reply.

Kakashi tipped his head back and closed his eye; he was _so_ not going there. He swiped his hand over his face as if he could physically wipe away the images his mind had conjured of Sakura in the shower, but it was too late to try and rectify the path of his prolific imagination. He pushed the bathroom door open, stepping into the floral-scented steam and kept his back turned to the curtain.

"Are you in here?" she asked. Her tone had climbed to an unusual high octave.

"Just brushing my teeth. I'll be out in a second," he replied. Kakashi squeezed a healthy portion of minty paste onto the bristles, wet the brush, and pulled his mask down to scrub his pearly whites.

"Does that mean you have your mask down?"

"No peeking," he said around a mouthful of foam. Sakura only laughed, and Kakashi realized he loved hearing the sound of the light musical notes within it. He smiled a little, rinsing his mouth before examining his face in what was visible of the fogged mirror. He needed to shave but he decided it could wait until morning. He washed the grime from his face, and laid his hitai-ate down on the counter, scrubbing a hand through the back of his hair. "I'm leaving now."

"I won't be much longer," she told him.

He closed the door behind him and changed out of his pants, pulling on a pair of shorts to sleep in. The air conditioning unit had been bothering him since they'd entered the musty room, so he attempted to adjust the dials, smacking the contraption around as if he could just jostle the components back into their appropriate places by way of force.

"If you manage to fix that thing, I'll love you forever," Sakura spoke from behind his back. He formed a fist, whacking the thing in its side. Something popped and the unit sputtered before entirely giving out.

"Oops," Kakashi grumbled. "Looks like we'll just have to use the ceiling–" he turned around, sentence falling short when he took in Sakura's appearance. She was wearing a white camisole, the layers of her damp pink hair ruffled over one of her shoulders which gave Kakashi a nice view of her toned upper back. If that weren't enough, she'd also chosen to wear an itty bitty pair of black shorts to complete the lack of ensemble. "–fan," he finished, coughing to clear his throat.

"That's fine," Sakura commented. "It's cool in here anyway."

Was it? He was feeling a little warm… He reached for the strings hanging from the fan and gave them a gentle tug. The blades began circulating, pushing out pleasant waves of cool air. When he turned to face the bed, he saw Sakura unrolling her sleeping gear on the floor. "I'm taking the floor," he told her. "Bed's all yours."

"No way Kakashi, you're still recovering. And as your medic, I'm requesting that you take the bed for proper healing purposes."

"Sakura," Kakashi breathed, "you're not sleeping on the floor."

She scoffed at him, reaching for a pillow on the bed as she rolled herself up on her knees. "It's the same thing as sleeping in the forest," Sakura insisted. "Actually, it's probably more comfortable since it's padded."

"Sounds like my kind of preferred sleeping arrangements," Kakashi deadpanned. He didn't care if he were slightly injured; he was a man, and even though he wasn't so sure he could label himself as a 'gentleman' per se, he wasn't going to allow Sakura to sleep on the floor while he enjoyed the comforts of a mattress. Letting her have her way on this one would be emasculating.

Sakura sighed. "Must we fight about everything?"

"Not everything," Kakashi insisted. "You rarely let me win any of the fights anyway."

Sakura giggled. She sat back on her heels, spreading her hands across her thighs as she rubbed the length of them. Kakashi was trying hard not to stare. He doubted she was even aware that she was torturing him. "How about a compromise?" she suggested.

"Such as?"

"How about," she began tentatively, "we just share the bed?"

Had he heard her right? He stared at her–gaped–more like, and had never been more grateful for the concealing folds of his mask. His gaze shifted to the bed, more acutely focusing on the full-size mattress that seemed to shrink in on itself the longer he stared. "Sakura… I don't think–"

"I trust you, Kakashi," she interrupted him. "It's not like we don't sleep side-by-side in the forest." She shrugged. "It's practically the same thing." Sakura abandoned her bedroll and climbed up onto the bed, peeling back the comforter as she slid between the sheets and patted the space beside her.

Kakashi considered what she'd said, trying to reason with himself. _Yes_, they had slept side-by-side in the forest but in their own individual bedrolls. _Yes_, she had seen him in many compromising situations, but none of them had ever been intentional. _Get a grip Hatake, a beautiful woman invited you to share her bed and you pick now to employ a solid moral compass?_ Kakashi had to wonder if Sakura reading a few chapters of his book had corrupted her innocence as he reached up to tug on the string that would shroud them in total darkness.

Kakashi found his way to the bed, pulled back the covers and slid in beside Sakura. He could smell the scent of her skin combined with the floral scent of the shampoo she'd used, and he could tell it was going to damn-near drive him out of his mind. He lay on his back, adjusting the pillows behind his head and chose to stare up at the pitch-black ceiling.

"Good night, Kakashi," Sakura said, her voice so much closer than he hoped to imagine. "Sleep well."

"Good night, Sakura," he returned the sentiment, knowing full well that tonight was about to be the longest night of his life and he'd be lucky if he got an ounce of sleep.

~/~

Sakura woke sometime in the night; she knew it was still dark based on the fact that she still couldn't see a single thing in the room, and had only woken due to the fact that Kakashi's warm breath was tickling the back of her ear. She'd started the night off on her side with her back turned to him. Hundreds of winged creatures had taken up residence in the pit of her stomach from the moment Kakashi had turned off the light and crawled into bed beside her, and even though she'd managed to fall asleep, the winged creatures hadn't dissipated.

Kakashi's right arm was draped over her side, and somehow he'd managed to pull her to his chest. His _bare_ chest, she noted, since she could feel the outline of muscle and his heartbeat pulsing against her spine. Whether he'd consciously pulled her to him was still a mystery, but Sakura didn't mind. She felt safe and warm within the protective cage of his arms, and decided his was a prison she didn't want to escape.

She shifted just a little, freeing her arm as she laid it across his, hugging his arm to her chest as she laced her fingers through his. His fingers flexed in his sleep, tightening against Sakura's and she smiled to herself. Yes, she decided, she was definitely falling for him.

Kakashi inhaled deeply as his breathing changed. Sakura had to remind herself not to hold her breath as the Copy-nin stirred behind her. She wasn't sure what he would do when he woke to find that he'd entangled her in his embrace. There was a small part of her that feared he might pull away, and Sakura didn't think she could handle the sting of his rejection.

She felt him shift as he lifted his head off the pillow–presumably trying to make out the outline of their entanglement. He dropped back to the pillow almost immediately, snuggling tighter against the curve of her body as he pulled his knees up to mold her body with his. He sighed in contentment, pressing his masked lips to her shoulder blade and squeezed her hand in his.

Sakura couldn't breathe.

Her heartbeat thrummed rapidly against his wrist, and she wondered if he could feel the quickened change. She knew he was awake, but she couldn't make herself speak for fear of ruining the moment. What was there to say anyway, when his body language said plenty enough. So Sakura held his hand against her chest and counted the minutes of bliss until sleep claimed her consciousness once more.

~/~

A stream of golden light filtered through the window, curving across the back of Sakura's eyelids as she stirred. She could hear the shower running, and the absence of body heat behind her told her that Kakashi had awoken. She remembered waking sometime in the night to find herself curled up in his arms, and the thought brought on another wave of butterflies fluttering through her stomach. She pulled the blanket to her face, covering an involuntary smile that spread there.

She rolled over to find an alarm, checking the time before collapsing back on her pillow. A moment later the water shut off in the bathroom, and Sakura temporarily panicked about having to face him. Would he remember holding her in the night, she wondered?

The door opened a beat later, and Kakashi stood there–in _only_ his jonin pants, which he hadn't bothered to button–as he ran a towel through the damp ends of his hair. Heat crawled up the back of Sakura's neck, spreading to her face as it colored the blades of her cheekbones. This was the first time she'd ever envied his mask, wishing she could disappear beneath the mound of blankets just so Kakashi wouldn't bear witness to the effect his shower-slickened body was having on her. _For the love of the First–had he even bothered to dry off?_ Her eyes drank in the sight of him, lingering on the deep impressions of his hips as the trail disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants.

She wanted to die.

She channeled her chagrin into something useful and decided to scold him instead. "You're dripping all over the tile, that's a slipping hazard!" she shouted at him, extending her arm to dramatically emphasize her point.

"Good morning to you, too, Sakura-chan." Kakashi dropped his towel on the bathroom floor, ambling over to perch on his side of the bed while he reached for his boots. "You just wake up?"

"Yes," Sakura answered as she gathered the blankets around her and rolled towards him. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough." Kakashi reached towards the nightstand and tapped his fingers against a small white carrying case tied with a pink ribbon.

"You rescued them!" Sakura sat up, eagerly undoing the ribbon from her box of daifuku and peered in at the mound of colorful treats. "You're the best, Kakashi. I'm surprised someone didn't walk off with them to be honest with you. When I kicked them down the street last night, I figured they were goners."

"Sakura," Kakashi chuckled, "you actually think I would let you eat something that spent the night on the streets of Tanigakure? I promised you I'd get you more, didn't I?"

"Oh," was all Sakura could think to reply with as she stared dumbfounded at the box in her hands. "Oh, well, thank you."

"You're welcome." He stood up from the mattress and bent to pull his pack up. He rifled through the contents until he pulled out a sleeveless training shirt.

"Before you put that on," Sakura said, placing her box of new treats on the nightstand, "let me check your spine to make sure I healed everything."

"I feel fine," he insisted.

"Yeah, well, years of experience has taught me that your version of feeling 'fine' just means that you're hiding something. Sit." She pointed to the space in front of her on the bed.

Kakashi did as he was instructed, turning slowly as he lowered himself to the edge of the bed. Sakura rose up on her knees, pressing her fingertips to his spine while she sent her chakra in to check for anything she might have missed. After probing for a minute, she trailed her hands down his back, fingertips skating across his sides as she checked his ribs.

He groaned a little as Sakura found a sore spot and allowed her healing jutsu to correct the minor abrasion on his bone. "You even had a cracked rib," she told him, shaking her head even though he couldn't see. "Stand up and face me."

Oh, this was worse–worse because now she was in the direct line of vision with his abdomen and he _still_ hadn't buttoned his damn pants. Sakura swallowed and pressed her glowing fingertips to the tiny pale scar from where the shuriken had been the day before, and sent a pulse of chakra to finish healing the mark as well as the buildup of inflammation in his muscle. When she finished, Kakashi pulled his shirt over his head, and began packing his things away.

This was better–better because talking to Kakashi while he was fully clothed was less distracting, but only slightly so. "I was wondering," Sakura began, pulling her fingers through the tangled ends of her hair, "do you remember anything from last night?"

She'd hesitated bringing it up but the suspense of not knowing was killing her. Kakashi's eye, appearing more gray than black this morning, met hers. "Holding you?" he spoke softly, but his tone managed to raise the tiny hairs on the back of Sakura's neck.

Sakura held his gaze; her breath growing shallow in her lungs. "What was that, Kakashi?"

He zipped his pack, and drew a breath before answering. "I know what it was for me, Sakura, but what did it mean to you?"

Her green eyes narrowed with a flash of indignation. "Hey, you can't answer a question with a question Kakashi, that's a copout."

"I was holding you," Kakashi said, "because I wanted to."

Sakura wanted to roll her eyes because his answer was just _so_ Kakashi-like that it really shouldn't have surprised her. If she'd been hoping for some deep, romantic confession of his admiration for her, she should have known better. Kakashi had never been one for professing his affections in the form of words, and she hadn't been falling for him because he was a romantic that always said all the right things… She was falling for him because of all the things he wasn't.

He wasn't a fake that would tell Sakura all the things she wanted to hear just so he could have his way with her. He would never pretend to be anything less than whom he presented himself to be, and he would never, _never_ betray her. She was falling for him because he completed all her missing pieces and made her life better simply by just existing within it.

"Well, for what it's worth," she told him, "I liked it."

Kakashi's eye creased at the corner. "I liked it, too."

* * *

**Things you should know:**

**1\. My favorite scenes to write are the ones with all the feels. **

**2\. I'm a hopeless romantic. **

**3\. I won't apologize for the fluff, but I truly hope you enjoy it. ;P (We'll get back to the plot soon, I promise.)**

**As always, many thanks and happy reading! **

**~Sparrow**


	7. The Art of Coming to Terms

Chapter Seven

The Art of Coming to Terms

* * *

_"Your lipstick leaves a whisper on my cheek_  
_One breath away from I can't even speak_  
_Your voice alive inside my chain of bones…_  
_Oh don't think that I can't feel you when you're gone."_

_ John Paul White + Rodney Crowell_

* * *

Sakura and Kakashi reached the land of Wind Country by nightfall and were greeted at the desert gates by none other than two of the famous Sand-siblings, Temari and Kankuro. The fierce blond kunoichi pulled Sakura in for a hug before she was yanked out of the girl's embrace and picked up and spun in the air by Kankuro. "Gaara told me you were coming but I almost didn't believe him," the puppet master told her as he sat her down on her tired feet.

"Aw, come on Kankuro, it hasn't been _that_ long since I've visited." She smiled at the dark-haired shinobi as he put his arm around her shoulder, escorting her through the gates of Suna. Absent was the purple war paint that usually lined his face, though Sakura figured he didn't have much cause to wear it now. He looked so different without it on–older, but in a dignified way.

"It's almost been two years Sakura-chan, that's two years _too_ long." He began rambling about this and that, catching her up on things she'd missed and made a point (yet again) to remind her she'd been away for far too long.

Sakura's bond with Kankuro developed shortly after Gaara had been taken by a member of the Akatsuki and Team Seven had been part of the squad sent out to rescue him. When they arrived in Suna, Sakura learned that Kankuro had been poisoned and he'd only been given three days to live. Sakura was able to develop an antidote to the poison which ultimately saved his life. Since then, Kankuro had been a little sweet on her, but for the most part it was harmless flirting she was sure didn't mean anything. He was just grateful to the pink-haired medic for saving him.

Kankuro continued to talk about his latest inventions with his puppets, and Sakura glanced over her shoulder to make sure Kakashi was still following; wishing for a fleeting moment that he would rescue her from Kankuro's relentless string of banter. She could tell Kakashi was grinning based on the slight crease at the corner of his eye as he walked in silence beside Temari with his hands leisurely stuffed in his pockets.

"How was your trip?" Temari asked as they ambled down the sidewalks towards the Kazekage's palace located in the heart of the city.

"Easy for the most part," Kakashi replied. "We didn't run into any trouble until we reached Tanigakure. We believe Sumire sent two of her scouts out to search for her missing teammates, and they made the fatal mistake of following us out of the village."

"Did you stop them before they could report your location?"

"That we did," Sakura said, "but at the expense of that one taking a shuriken to his abdomen." Sakura tilted her head in Kakashi's direction.

"Good thing you're traveling with a medic, Kakashi-san, I'd hate the thought of your torso being ruined." Temari smirked, lips curling up at one corner as she glanced up at Kakashi.

A little coal in Sakura's gut ignited in flame. Temari was known for her boldness, but that usually didn't entail flirtatiousness. Maybe Temari didn't mean anything by her comment, but Sakura didn't like it. She'd heard Kakashi had had a bit of a reputation among the ladies, but she didn't know how much of that was just wishful thinking, and/or stories conjured up by hormonal females that were carrying a serious torch for the Copy-nin. Unless he was really keeping that part of his life secret from her, Sakura knew he hadn't been with anyone for quite some time.

Kankuro finally released Sakura from his grip when they approached the palace, and Sakura stared up at the painted red symbol for 'Wind' on the side of the oval building before Kankuro opened the door. They were ushered straight to the Kazekage's office, and found Gaara seated at the large round table; scrolls and other various mounds of paperwork littered the surface. Sakura thought his workspace was quite similar to the chaos that usually surrounded Tsunade-sama's.

The auburn-haired former jinchuriki looked up from the desk, a small, polite smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he stood. "Welcome back to Suna, Sakura-san and Kakashi-san." Gaara shook both of their hands and went so far as to give Sakura a quick hug. "I trust your travels went well?"

"As well as they could," Kakashi said, and explained what happened during their visit in Tanigakure. Gaara listened with a calm veneer, nodding occasionally.

"I sent a few of my own scouts out when we received word from the Hokage about what happened to Naruto and Sai," Gaara told them. "But to our misfortune, they weren't able to find anything. We were hoping you'd be able to summon your Ninken pack and maybe they can pick up on something useful."

"You and I are of the same mind, Kazekage-sama," Kakashi bowed respectfully. "Konoha feels responsible for Shigaraki Tanuki's betrayal. He fled Fire Country after Danzo's death; we should have gone after him then but we were in the midst of cleaning up the aftermath of what Root had done in our own city."

"Not to mention that we were on the brink of the Fourth Shinobi War," Sakura added. "I think we were all a little preoccupied."

"All that is history now," Gaara said. "We don't have the power to change what happened in the past, only the resources and knowledge to stop it from happening again." Gaara paused, thoughtfully rolling his fingertips at his sides. "It's been a long day for everyone. Perhaps we should save the deeper discussions for when everyone has had a full night's rest. Kakashi-san, I'd like for you to sit with my advisors in the morning and explain everything you know about Root operations. We need all the inside information we can get if we have any chance of stopping Sumire and her army."

"Of course," Kakashi agreed. "We are at your disposal."

"No one knows the landscape and terrain of Suna better than the Sand-nin; I think it wise to track Sumire and her army after the sun has set. If they really are hiding in the desert, they wouldn't be moving during the heat of the day. We'll have a better chance of tracking them at nightfall."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "The Ninken would also appreciate that."

"Very well. Have you eaten? I know it's late for dinner, but I'll have Temari show you to your rooms and have one of my assistants bring up room service."

Sakura and Kakashi had stopped at a small diner for lunch and had eaten a light meal. It was too hot during the day to eat much of anything, and they'd skipped dinner entirely. Her stomach was still a little uneasy from the day of unrelenting heat, but she knew she should probably eat _something_. Also, it was impolite to decline a meal offer from the Kazekage. "Thank you Gaara-sama, that would be very kind of you."

"Please, Sakura, just Gaara will do. We are all old friends here, are we not?" Gaara smiled. "We've all been through a lot together."

Sakura returned his smile. "Gaara," she corrected herself, "thank you–for everything."

"I'll see you both bright and early. Sleep well." Gaara bowed and dismissed them, and Kankuro stayed behind while Temari led them to their rooms.

At this hour, the halls of the Kazekage's palace were empty, and their light footsteps sounded against the marble flooring, echoing down the corridor. "You'll have to excuse the lack of room availability; Gaara has been renovating some of the palace halls," Temari told them. "You'll still have separate rooms but they are adjoining."

"That's not a problem," Sakura said as they wound down the arc of the hall.

The rooms were a good walk from the heart of the action, and Sakura knew they wouldn't be disturbed on this end of the building; still, she felt relieved when Temari handed her the room key. "Be sure to let us know if you need anything," she said. "Your dinner will be up in half an hour." With that she bowed and walked away.

Sakura smiled and raised her eyebrows at Kakashi as she slipped the key through her door lock. "Want to meet up for dinner?" she asked him before slipping into her room.

"Your room or mine?"

"I'll come to you. I want to wash this layer of grime off me first anyway." Sakura picked up an end of her bubblegum-pink hair and examined it thoughtfully.

"Sounds good," Kakashi agreed.

Sakura watched him cross the threshold of his room before she closed and locked the door behind her. Unlike their room at the Jade Dragon, the guest rooms of the Kazekage palace were filled with expensive modern luxuries. The walls were painted in a tranquil shade of gray and the floors were a sleek, black marble adorned by ornate woven rugs. The bed was positioned low to the ground, surrounded by a simple black frame and pillowed headboard. The plush white comforter looked to be made from soft down-feathers. And for the love of all the Kages–the air conditioning was working!

Sakura dropped her bag at the foot of the bed, and began undoing the buckles of her boots while she appraised her room. The artwork was simple, framed pictures of plant-life native to Wind Country dotted her walls, and a few of those plants sat in planters lining her windowsill. Sakura peeled off the layers of her clothes on her way to the bathroom, dropping them across the floor as she went. She grabbed her shower bag and enjoyed the comforts of the hot water as she lathered up, letting the heat knead her sore muscles.

By the time she finished, a note had been delivered under her door, letting her know that room service was waiting outside. Sakura wrapped her hair up in a towel and opened the door to bring in her silver tray of goods. She didn't bother peeking at her meal, she just shifted it to one arm and knocked on the adjoining door that led to Kakashi's room.

"You decent?" she called.

"I'm naked in the shower, what do you think?" came his teasing reply. He was mocking her exact words from the night before. Sakura rolled her eyes at the turn of a reflexive smile and twisted the door handle.

Kakashi's room was decorated almost the exact same as hers; only his comforter was blood-red instead of white. Red was her favorite color; she tried not to think of how sexy he would look splayed over the surface and–_well_, that was enough of that... Sakura cleared her throat, plopping down on the side of the bed as she propped herself against his pillows.

"Did you already eat?" she asked him as she removed the lid from her tray.

She noted that Kakashi had changed into a pair of sweats and a clean sleeveless shirt as he plopped down on the open space beside her. "Guilty as charged I'm afraid," he said. "I wasn't sure how long you were going to be." He kicked back against the pillows, crossing his ankles as he summoned his _Icha Icha_ book out of some mysterious black hole only he seemed to have access to.

"The whole point of having dinner with someone is to actually _eat_ together," Sakura said as she spooned a helping of rice into her mouth.

"I thought the whole point was to share conversation; in which case, eating is really not the point of having dinner at all," Kakashi countered without looking up from his book.

"And I suppose you can efficiently multitask between holding a conversation and reading your lewd little novel all at once?" Sakura bit into something fried she _hoped_ was chicken. All in all, the taste wasn't that bad. "However do you do it?"

Kakashi peered at her over the edge of his book, his visible dark eye shadowed by the thick veil of black lashes. He lowered his tone and the effect sent a chill down Sakura's spine. "It's an acquired skill; one that comes with years of experience and dedication to the task. Not everyone is capable of such accomplishments; it's something I'm really quite proud of."

Sakura scoffed. Sometimes she wondered why she found the man so damned charming. She finished off her fruit, popping the cubed bits of melon into her mouth as she came up with another theory. "I'll bet," she said, "you just wanted the freedom to eat without having to watch your back–_er_, face," Sakura corrected. "It must get exhausting, always sneaking food when you think no one is looking." She grinned at him, depositing her nearly empty tray on the nightstand.

"You caught me," he replied stoically.

Sakura rolled to her side, hugging a pillow to her chest while she studied Kakashi's profile in silence. He didn't have to say anything, just being in his presence made Sakura feel good. It was like he put out some sort of calming aura that spoke volumes to her, and she wanted to latch on to that comfort for as long as he would allow it.

"Have you heard from Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked her a moment later as he flipped the page.

"Not yet. Did you?"

He shook his head. "How do you think our boys are doing?"

Sakura lifted her slender pink brows as she replied, "Probably getting into trouble."

Kakashi chuckled a little at that, and Sakura really liked the deep, resonating sound of it. She inhaled deeply, breathing in some of the woody aroma that always seemed to be clinging to Kakashi's skin, and released her breath on a slow exhale. All day she'd been thinking about their shared sleeping arrangements from the night before as those pesky butterflies fluttered around her stomach like they owned the place.

She knew what their residency meant for her and what she wanted to do about it, but she had no idea where Kakashi's thoughts were on the subject–and she knew better than to assume he'd just tell her. If it were Naruto, she could just come right out and say whatever she was feeling. But Kakashi and her golden-haired friend operated on extremely different wavelengths. It was better to tread lightly with Kakashi, lest she scare him away.

Her eyelids were growing heavy, and she was pretty sure she'd dozed off for a moment because when she opened her eyes, Kakashi was staring at her.

"What? Did you say something?"

The corner of his eye creased, and Sakura could only assume that he was smiling. "Come here," he spoke softly, left arm reaching for her.

Sakura lifted herself from the pillow, towel falling away to unveil the tousled strands of her damp pink hair. Kakashi removed the pillow she'd been hugging to her chest and deposited it to the floor as Sakura slowly, _tentatively_, fit her lithe body to his side as his arm wrapped around her waist. All Sakura could feel was his warmth as she draped her arm across his ribs, resting her head on his chest as she tilted her face to look up at him.

"Is this okay?" he asked, close enough to where she felt his breath on her face.

It was more than okay, but Sakura could only bring herself to nod. Her heart was beating like a rolling bassline in her chest, and warmth fluttered through her core. Kakashi leaned toward her, gingerly brushing her temple with his masked lips, and it was all Sakura could do to just lay there and not tear the confounded thing off his face so she could kiss him back. And _gods_ that was exactly what she wanted to do.

But Kakashi lifted his arm, fingers trailing through the damp ends of her hair as he smoothed his hand down over her back–repeating the soothing rhythm as he turned his attention back to the book in his right hand. How he could read something of that caliber, and lay here, innocently holding her and stroking her hair, was beyond Sakura's rational form of reasoning.

"What chapter are you on?" Sakura mumbled in a drowsy voice.

"Seven," Kakashi replied.

"Go back a chapter and read it to me?"

"Beg pardon?" Kakashi's fingertips paused in the middle of Sakura's back as he shifted to look at her.

"I left off at the beginning of six the other night. Can you just read it to me?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea…"

"Please, Kakashi, you have such a nice voice." Sakura's hand brushed against his forearm, curious fingertips tracing along the tendons.

"You think so?" He reached across her with his left arm, flipping through the pages until he found the start of chapter six. "I guess a few pages wouldn't hurt."

~/~

Sakura had fallen asleep before Kakashi even made it past the seventh page in the chapter. He closed the book, tossing it on the nightstand before turning back to the pink-haired woman curled up in his arms. Kakashi brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead, his thumb skating across the curve of her cheekbone. She was so beautiful, he thought as he traced the curve of her lower lip. He wondered vaguely how long it had been since a woman had shared his bed.

Kakashi didn't do relationships; not because he couldn't commit to them but because rare was the opportunity in his life for one to grow and blossom. Sakura had been right the other day when she mentioned that the dating pool of a shinobi was a shallow one. They led a hard life–hard to make a relationship work when they were always gone on missions, and each one of those missions meant a possibility that they might never return. It was hard to ask someone to stand by your side and support you when walking out the door meant it could be the last time they ever saw you.

In truth, Kakashi had been content to lead a solitary life. His reputation had been forged at such a young age. He stepped into the role that had been cast upon him and played the part of the shinobi to the best of his abilities, climbing the ladder and making jonin rank by the time he was only twelve-years-old. He damn-near lost everyone he'd ever cared about by then, and the impact of those losses led him to believe that he was simply fated to be alone.

But then, _somehow_, the little holy terrors of Team Seven infiltrated his life and slowly began mending everything that was broken, and proving to Kakashi that he didn't have to be alone. The kunoichi in his arms right now was supporting evidence to the testament.

With her lying there, Kakashi could admit that he'd been falling for her for quite some time; though at first he tried to ignore the attraction based solely on the grounds that she was his former student and younger at that. But if he were being honest with himself, neither of those things really bothered him. Any hesitation he may have felt was simply due to the fact that he just wanted to do right by her.

_Yes_, there had been other women, and yes, there had been flings, but Kakashi was done with that part of his life and had been for a long time. He refused to treat Sakura with anything less than the respect she deserved; and what was more was that he _wanted_ to provide that for her. It had been a long time since he truly, or deeply cared for anyone, and part of him had to wonder if he had really ever felt anything real–because the way he felt about her… _well_, that was beyond tangible.

Sakura shifted in his arms, pulling her leg across his and turned her face into his chest. Her knee was in dangerous territory; just an inch further and let's just say he might be in pain. She was too much of a temptation for her own good, and Kakashi mentally berated himself for letting her stay in his bed when he was trying to be a good man.

The decent thing would be to carry her back to her room, tuck her into bed and leave her be till morning–so after some much disciplinary consideration on his part, that's exactly what he decided to do. He shifted, easily scooping her up into his arms until her head fell into the groove of his neck and her long legs dangled over his arm.

He'd made it through the threshold of their adjoining rooms when he heard her mumble and felt her warm breath against his throat. "Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"Are you carrying me to my room?"

"Yes, Sakura." He cradled her against his chest with one arm while expertly bending to peel the comforter back from her mattress.

"Why?" He felt her frown against his skin, and for whatever reason, this provoked him to smile.

"Because," he said, laying her down against the cool silk of the bedsheets, "you fell asleep while I was reading to you. I just assumed I was boring you to death."

"Hardly," she replied as Kakashi worked the comforter up around her waist. "Must be tired from all the walking we've done the last three days."

_And the fighting for our lives and all the healing chakra you've expended_, he added mentally. To her he said, "Perhaps." Kakashi perched himself on the edge of her bed, stroking her cheek with the back of his knuckles lightly.

"I don't want you to leave." Sakura's green eyes flashed up to his while he ran his fingers through her hair.

Kakashi drew a deep breath, fighting against what he wanted and what he knew he should do. There was a line somewhere; he tried to remind himself, though the edges of its boundaries were getting a little more blurred while Sakura continued to look at him that way. "Sakura, we should probably talk about this."

"In the morning," she insisted. "It's late."

"Yes," he agreed, "it is–which is why you won't even notice my absence." He started to rise, but Sakura reached out, wrapping her fingers around his wrist as she rose up on her elbow. He watched the curtain of pink swinging across her shoulder as the light from his adjoining room bled across the threshold and illuminated her in a soft glow.

"Kakashi," she breathed his name, "I can always feel when you're gone."

The pure, honest intensity of her admission broke whatever miniscule thread his resolve had been hanging by, and tightened the burning knot within his chest. _Gods_ he was hopeless when it came to her. Sakura had him wrapped around her finger and she didn't even know. He was utterly bewitched by her transcendence.

"Scoot over," he told her, and he watched as a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she did just that. Kakashi pulled her to his chest, fitting his palm to the side of her face while he pressed a kiss to the center of her forehead.

Sakura reached up to tangle her fingers in the hair at his nape, and Kakashi closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her touching him. It was hard to believe that he was a war-hardened veteran with years of experience and enough knowledge to disarm an enemy covert operation, because when Sakura touched him, he felt all of his defenses shattering down around him.

"Try and get some sleep," he encouraged her.

"I will now," she told him, entangling her fingers with his.

* * *

***Hearts***

**This chapter was a little shorter than the others, but I needed it to be centralized around the growth of their relationship. Not even the growth so much as they are both realizing in their own way how they feel about one another, and don't quite know how to put it in words. The beginnings of love are always my favorite.**

**1\. I think Sakura asking Kakashi to read to her shows a certain level of comfort within their relationship considering the material in which those books encompass, haha. His hesitation is endearing in its own right. Not because he's embarrassed, but maybe 'concerned' that reading out loud might heat things up a little more... Darn Sakura for falling asleep. :p**

**2\. I listed a song quote at the beginning of this chapter from a song called: "Don't Think That I Can't Feel You When You're Gone" - The whole chapter (at least where Sakura and Kakashi are concerned) was kind of built on the premise of that excerpt. When Kakashi tries to do right by leaving her and tells her that she won't even notice his absence; Sakura opens up and really kind of makes herself vulnerable in a sense by admitting that she in fact always feels his absence... To have someone so embedded under your skin like that is just incredibly romantic, and the way Kakashi reacts to her confession is just all the more precious. **

**3\. I've taken up enough of your time by over-explaining my motives on that, haha, but I truly hope you have enjoyed the story up to this point. As always, I am ever so grateful for the likes and reviews. Thank you, and happy reading!**

**~Sparrow **


	8. The Art of Sparring and Confessing

Chapter Eight

The Art of Sparring and Confessing

* * *

Sakura watched from her appointed spot at Gaara's conference table as Kakashi briefed the advisors on everything he knew about Root. Dressed in his full uniform, his shoulders squared as he spoke, Sakura thought he looked every bit the part of a competent diplomat. She'd always known the man was a genius, but rare was the occasion she got to see him in this type of environment. His persona was so different from the one he displayed on the battlefield, and Sakura listened with sovereign fascination as he spoke. She knew that Tsunade was grooming Naruto to take the position as the next Hokage, but Sakura had to wonder, watching Kakashi this way, if perhaps he wasn't more suited for the job.

Not that she would ever tell Naruto that, but still…

Gaara leaned forward, bracing his palms against the surface of the table and drew a long breath. "So," Gaara said, "Danzo's followers were indoctrinated into following his orders and making them priority over those of the Hokage's. The members were trained to become detached to their emotions, and made to ruthlessly kill without question."

"Their loyalties were to Danzo alone," Kakashi added. "It wasn't just that they put Danzo's orders above the Hokage's, it was that they didn't take order from the Hokage at all."

Gaara considered this. "Forgive me, but how was it that this went on in total secrecy?"

"Members of Root were sworn into secrecy and a binding seal was imprinted on their tongues. If they tried to speak anything about the organization or about Danzo himself, the curse mark would activate and the members would become paralyzed," Kakashi told him.

Gaara puckered his brow. "Well that's handy in the event of an enemy interrogation."

"Handy, but considerably cruel," Temari added. The blond was sitting next to Gaara, elbows propped on the table with her hands clasped in front of her.

"So if this Shigaraki Tanuki guy fled Konoha and passed everything he knew about Root onto his daughter, then what could she possibly want with Sai?" Kankuro asked.

"That's sort of the big mystery," Sakura said. "Sai was the last surviving Root member after Danzo was killed. Maybe she thinks Sai still has some inside information that would benefit her in some way."

"Whatever it is, she wanted it bad enough to risk thirty of her men going after him," Temari said. "Has your Hokage placed Sai under protection?"

Sakura nodded. "We received word this morning that extra guards have been assigned to our gates and that Anbu scouts have been patrolling the outside perimeters at night. Sai isn't being allowed to leave Konoha until we get this taken care of."

"Good," Gaara said. "I imagine that Sumire is probably sweating bullets right about now considering thirty of her men were taken, and the two of you managed to take out her backup scouts. I doubt she'll risk sending out another squad so soon."

"When do we move?" Kankuro asked.

"We'll meet at the back gates at dusk. Kakashi will summon his Ninken pack, and we'll scout the area to see if they can pick up a scent," Gaara told them. "This will be a basic espionage mission–I want to gather as much information on our enemies as we can before deciding the right course of action. No one gets killed."

Kankuro grunted in dissatisfaction and spun slowly in his chair.

"Any questions?" the Kazekage asked. The room of his advisors, including the faces that Sakura didn't recognize, all shook their heads. "Very well, you're all dismissed."

~/~

The average temperature in the Suna desert was about one hundred degrees during the day–hot enough to fry eggs on the flat rocks that had been roasting in the sun. According to the little thermometer on the side of the wall, it was one hundred and six degrees and it wasn't even noon. Sakura imagined even the native desert animals were probably hiding in dark nooks and crevasses to try and escape the incessant heat on a day like today.

Even though they were inside, Sakura could feel the heat seeping through the walls, bringing a light flush to her skin–though she was sure dancing around the indoor sparring arena with Kankuro wasn't helping matters. Absently she wondered if she could talk Tsunade into building an indoor sparring arena back home; she was really enjoying this whole air-conditioned thing, not to mention it would be a nice addition during the winter months.

Sakura performed a tuck and roll, easily bounding away from Kankuro as she dodged one of his punches. Fighting close range had never been Kankuro's strong suit. Sakura was taking it easy on him since speed was on her side in such short range, but when she bounded to her feet, a blurred object smacked her in the back of the knees, knocking her feet out from under her. She fell back against the mat, landing with an _oomph_.

Kankuro immediately burst out laughing, tilting his head back and clutching his stomach in a full scale belly laugh.

Sakura picked up the wooden spear that had been launched at her from Kankuro's puppet-lookalike. "What the hell, Kankuro, we agreed to not use any jutsu." She tossed the spear at him and it dropped to the floor at his feet with a hollow sounding echo.

Kankuro was still laughing. "Awe, come on Haruno, I was just having a bit of fun."

"You cheated."

Kankuro walked over and extended his hand, clearing his throat as he grinned. "Ninja."

Sakura scowled at him, but allowed him to help her up as she adjusted the band of her workout pants. They were made from a shiny black material and hugged the contours of her toned legs. She was wearing a matching sports bra and fingerless black gloves while her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. A few strands had fallen free, framing her slender face. She huffed and tried to blow them back as she took the ready-stance.

"I knew you couldn't get enough of me," Kankuro teased her, emulating her stance.

"You just zip it, before I yank one of those scrolls off your back and shove a kamikaze puppet up your ass." Sakura threw a punch in which Kankuro effectively blocked.

"Ooh, I love it when you talk about my ass."

Sakura twisted behind him, bringing up her leg and kicked Kankuro right in his behind for good measure. The force in which she'd struck him caused him to fall to the ground on his knees. "You were saying?" She grinned at him sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

"All right Kankuro, you've had your fun, my turn," Kakashi's low, even timbre skirted through the air from behind them. Sakura had to fight the smile she felt rising within her.

"Show us how it's really done," Temari said from the sidelines.

The others that had been sparring around them even stopped to watch the show; Kakashi it seemed, was even a legend in Suna. He walked out to the mats in front of her, wearing his black training sweats and a sleeveless shirt. A sheen of sweat glossed his muscled arms, and Sakura found her eyes lingering in places they probably shouldn't. She lifted her hands, angling her body in the ready-stance.

"No jutsu," he stated.

"No jutsu," she agreed. "However, these people _are_ expecting a show. How about you lose the eyepatch there, Pirate Boy."

"Pirate Boy?" Kakashi lifted an eyebrow as he pushed his hitai-ate up higher on his forehead and opened his Sharingan eye.

Sakura grinned at him, and in a move that was lightning fast, Kakashi struck the first blow with his fist. Sakura ducked, dropping low to the ground as she swung her legs out to try and knock Kakashi off of his, but he was too fast. Sakura rolled to her feet, blocking an array of attempted strikes that to anyone else would just look like a blur of limbs. Sakura was used to Kakashi's sparring techniques, just like he was used to hers. Honestly, the two could go at this all day trading and blocking blows.

"Come on Sakura, kick him in the nuts!" Kankuro called from the sidelines.

She grinned at the idea, but she didn't want to endanger his manhood in any way that might hinder him from performing in a much different type of duel. _Oh gods_, she thought, now her mind was _so_ not where it needed to be. And it was all due to the fact that she had awoken tangled in his solid embrace. Unfortunately, they hadn't had any time to talk about what their shared sleeping arrangements had meant because they were summoned to the Kazekage's office before their alarms even went off.

Sakura jerked her head to the side as Kakashi's fist came within mere inches of direct impact. She saw something like a look of relief flash across his dark eye when she managed to block the blow. Her inner thoughts were distracting her from focusing, and Kakashi was intentionally taking it easy on her. His feelings shouldn't change the way he viewed her as an opponent, and Sakura was hell-bent on making sure he knew it.

She pulled a kunai from the small holster attached to her thigh and threw it at him. (She made sure not to aim at anything vital) but the edge sliced along the outer ridge of his bicep and drew a thin line of blood, right below his Anbu tattoo. The crowed released a murmur of shared shock while Sakura launched herself at him, twisting to land her elbow in his ribs. Kakashi deflected, grabbing her by the arm and spinning her. The next thing she knew, her front was pressed up against the wall while Kakashi pulled her left arm behind her back. Her right arm was trapped in his grip which he'd pinned against the wall, and his right knee was pushing her legs apart, pressing against her inner thigh.

Sakura could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck, and his scent tangled through her nostrils. He'd pinned her all right, and she wondered if it looked as intimate to those watching as it felt to her. She was glad she was facing the wall because her eyes were lulling back in her skull for reasons that had nothing to do with pain.

"Say you surrender," Kakashi whispered, so close that she could feel his lower lip moving through his mask against her ear. The sensation caused the tiny hairs on the back of her neck to rise in delight.

"You know," Sakura grunted, "if I was using chakra right now you'd be lying flat on your back." She wiggled against him, earning a deeper slide of his knee against her thigh.

"Ah, but we agreed no jutsu," he reminded her.

"That we did." Sakura lowered herself, gathering momentum as she jumped off the floor and used his already bent knee as a perch for her to launch from. She flipped over the back of his head, landing on her feet and angled her body once more in the ready-stance.

"Damn, Haruno!" Kankuro called from the sidelines. "That's my girl!"

"Come on Kakashi, stop playing around," Temari shouted.

"Yeah Kakashi, show me what you got," Sakura taunted him.

A crease gathered between his brows, and Sakura knew he'd flipped a switch–which was why she was ready for him when he aimed a series of blows at all her chakra points. She deflected all of them, but wasn't able to aim any of her own. Kakashi was moving fast, backing her across the mats until she managed to plant her foot and land one solid blow to his jaw. The impact jarred her knuckles and vibrated the bones and tendons in her forearm. _That_ was going to leave a mark. She almost felt bad about it as she side-stepped, pirouetting behind him–or so she thought.

Kakashi flash-stepped and kicked Sakura in the back of the thigh, just below her ass. Her knees kissed the mats, and she caught herself with her palms. When she rolled to her back, Kakashi was already there, pinning her legs down with the weight of his. He gathered both her wrists in one of his hands, binding them above her head while he pressed the tip of a kunai to her throat with his other. It was the exact same position she'd used to take out the rogue nin the other night, but to be fair, Kakashi had taught her the move.

"I concede," she breathed as his face hovered just a few inches over hers. Kakashi tossed the kunai to the side, flattening both his palms to the mats on either side of her head and made no immediate move to get up. A bead of sweat had gathered across his brow, and Sakura reached up, swiping it away with her thumb.

For a moment, Sakura was lost in her own little world where nothing existed outside of her and Kakashi. She could feel the weight of his look slowly burning her from the inside out, and wished that they were anywhere _alone_.

"Hatake is still undefeated," someone said from behind them, breaking whatever magic the moment contained. Another added, "Better luck next time Haruno." The crowd they'd drawn had gone back to their own sparring partners and resumed fighting. Kakashi finally pushed himself up to his knees, and offered Sakura his hand and needlessly pulled her to her feet.

"For a minute there, I thought you were really going to stab me," she teased.

"You _did_ stab me," he countered, shifting so Sakura could see the line of blood she'd drawn on his arm from throwing that kunai.

"You were going easy on me." She summoned healing chakra into her hand and covered his bicep with her palm.

"A mistake I won't make again," he assured her with a crease of his eye. Sakura was really starting to get tired of that damn mask. She wanted to see the smile he was hiding, doubting her imagination was doing him any justice.

"Well, it is pretty hard trying to keep up with the legendary Copy-nin."

"I guess it's just nice to know my age isn't slowing me down."

"Stop," Sakura said at the turn of an eye roll. "How many times must I tell you you're not that old?" Sakura tried to stop the grin from twisting the corners of her mouth but failed miserably. She finished healing his bicep and dropped her hand to her side. "I'm kind of attracted to the fact that you're a little older, means you have more experience."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, not sure if he should bite on that comment and allowed Sakura to lead him out of the sparring arena and into the hallway.

"How's your jaw?" she asked him. She knew she'd nailed him pretty good based on how her own body responded to the impact.

"It's probably going to bruise."

Sakura screwed up her delicate features. "You want me to heal it? I promise not to look…"

"Hmph," he grunted in reply.

Sakura leaned against the wall, several doors away from all the action and held up just one, glowing green hand. "Come on Kakashi, bruised jaws aren't fun." Sakura gazed up at the masked-nin until he released a sigh of defeat. "I'm taking that sigh as permission," she warned him, stepping just a little closer.

Kakashi didn't move. He was looking at Sakura with a slight tick in his brow; his eyelid half closed over his dark gray eye. Sakura's breath hitched, just a little, and she mentally shook off the lingering hesitation. It was just a face she told herself… But no, she thought, it was _Hatake Kakashi's_ face. This was the man who hid his face from everyone. Supposedly there had only been a handful of people that had seen it, but none of them had been by his choosing. Touching it surely wasn't the same as seeing it, so Sakura steeled her nerves and reached up, fingertips sliding beneath the fabric at the base of his neck and skimming along the prominent bones of his throat. Slowly, her fingertips curled up and over the edge of his jaw until she could feel the slight stubble. Sakura sent her chakra in to pinpoint the source of his pain, pressing her fingertips into his bone.

"Ryo for your thoughts," Kakashi said, looking down at her.

She grinned up at him. "It _feels_ like you have a nice jawline," she told him. "It's such a pity you're keeping it covered." She finished healing the forming bruise, and slowly dragged her fingertips down his neck to free her hand from the confines of his mask. "Which reminds me… You said you wanted to talk?"

Kakashi inhaled, eyes focused over her head before drawing them back to her face. "I guess we never got an opportunity this morning."

"Nope," Sakura agreed. She wanted him to lead, she figured it was safer that way in case she said something that scared him–something like, '_Kakashi I think I'm desperately falling for you_' she imagined might have him running for the hills. She knew he felt _something_ for her–she could see it when he looked at her, she just didn't know to what extent.

"Sakura…"

"–Hey guys, have you eaten lunch yet?" Kankuro showed up at the most inconvenient moment, slapping Kakashi on the bicep that Sakura had just healed. To make things worse, Temari was trailing close behind.

"Not yet," Kakashi said.

"Great! There's this really awesome place just down the street that sells _the best_ fried lizard."

"_Lizard_?" Sakura practically choked on the word–no way was she going to be able to stomach actually eating the thing.

"They have dumplings, too," Temari told her, "don't worry." The blond put her arm around Sakura's shoulder and began leading her down the hall, and once again, the conversation between she and Kakashi was forcibly tabled for a later time.

~/~

The Suna desert was a different beast entirely under the light of the moon. Sakura and Kakashi had been issued capes with hoods that provided decent camouflage with their surroundings, and protected them from the chilling evening temperatures. Gaara had selected Temari and Kankuro to spearhead the first stage of the espionage mission in his stead. The small group had set out at dusk and was about a mile outside the safety of Suna's gates when Kankuro gave Kakashi the go-ahead to summon his Ninken.

Kakashi pricked his thumb with the tip of a kunai, drawing blood as he made the proper hand signs and placed his hand on the ground to summon his pack. In a quick flash of smoke, all eight of Kakashi's Ninken popped into existence with Pakkun front and center.

"Sup Boss?" the little brown pug spoke, adding a short nod of his head as he greeted Sakura, "Sakura-chan, good to see you."

"I have a favor to ask you guys," Kakashi began explaining the mission objective and the pack listened intently. Sakura had brought along the shirt she'd worn the day they were attacked in Tanigakure, and hoped enough of the enemy's scent remained so that the dogs would be able to find their hideout.

"It's faint," Pakkun told them, "but we should be able to pick up a scent if they were recently in the area. That's one good thing about the desert–it doesn't rain often so chances of the scent being washed away are slim to none."

Kakashi nodded. "Report back when you find something."

"You got it Boss." The Ninken spread out, each heading in different directions as the group of ninja followed, deciding to take a general eastward path.

"I was wondering… How do you know so much about Root, Kakashi?" Temari asked as she fell in step beside him.

"Well," he said, "because at one time, I was a part of the organization."

His admission was news to Sakura. So much that she stumbled over a large rock and probably would have fallen had Kankuro not reached out in a timely fashion and pulled her upright. "Thank you," she said, brow creasing as she glanced up at Kakashi who was a few steps ahead of her. Agents of Root had no sense of teamwork; they didn't support their comrades, and if given the order, they would even turn on one another… If Kakashi had ever ground anything into Sakura's brain over the course of her training–it was the importance of teamwork. She trusted him with her life–so much that his belonging to the organization and what it represented seemed entirely impossible.

"You've got to be kidding," Temari said. "Forgive me, but you don't seem like the type of man that would stand for something like that."

Kakashi was quiet a moment before responding. "Danzo was a master manipulator." His icy tone made it clear he wasn't going to divulge any more information on the subject.

Temari backed away, falling in step beside Sakura and broached a much lighter subject, deciding to ask how Shikamaru was doing. Sakura had always kind of suspected that the two had a secret relationship after the chunin exams had ended. They were paired up against one another that day, but Sakura was pretty sure it also sparked the start of their love affair.

"He's still an annoying genius," Sakura told her. "He's been working to perfect a new shadow technique and poor Choji has been his test subject."

Temari chuckled. "Yeah that sounds like Shikamaru all right."

They walked several more yards in silence. Sakura was still in shock over learning yet another small facet of Kakashi's past, and judging by his cold dismissal it had also been a source of the infinite sadness Sakura sensed within him. She wished they were alone so she could ask him about it. She knew he would open up to her; she had a way of dragging things to the surface when others never stood a chance.

"So," Temari lightly elbowed Sakura in the ribs, "I don't suppose you and the Uchiha boy ever made up after the war?"

Sakura looked at the blond, blinking in surprise at her bluntness. "We decided it was better to just be friends," Sakura replied. "We weren't a good match."

"Could have fooled me," Temari said. "You know, if you're into the broody type."

Strangely enough, Kakashi at times also kind of fit into that category, Sakura thought absently. But Kakashi was kind and considerate to others where Sasuke had always been selfish. "Sasuke's heart was too full of hatred and I was just too naïve to recognize that. He's changing, but he still has a rather detached persona. He could never give me what I want out of a relationship."

"Can any man?" Temari giggled. "Especially the men we know."

"Hey, I resent that statement," Kankuro retorted. "I've been told by numerous women that I'm an excellent lover. I know all the right moves to keep a woman satisfied."

Temari snorted. "Your puppets don't count as women, Kankuro."

Sakura giggled despite herself and tried to stifle the outburst with her palm. This launched a colorful dispute between the Sand-siblings, and Sakura took advantage of their argument and skipped a couple of steps ahead to close the distance between she and Kakashi.

"Hey you," she said, linking her arm through his at the elbow. It was amazing just what being near him did to her mind, immediately putting her soul at ease.

"Sakura-chan," he returned with a small crease in the corner of his eye. "Sounds like you're having quite the time back there with the Sand-siblings."

"They started to get a little out of hand so I thought I would check on you," she teased. "How are you holding up, old man?" Sakura pretended not to notice the slight falter in his step.

"I thought you said I wasn't that old?"

"You're not."

"Then why'd you say it?"

"Because I wasn't sure how you'd handle the truth," Sakura said.

Kakashi tilted his face to the side, peering down at her through a half-cracked eyelid. "What truth is that?"

"Oh," she sighed, "the truth is that I just wanted to be by your side–close to you." She looked up at him and smiled demurely.

"Ah," he replied. "And you think that scares me?"

_Damn he was perceptive_. "Does it?"

"No, Sakura, not in the slightest." He squeezed her arm with his, tightening the link between them, and a tiny spark of contentment warmed Sakura's core.

"Does that mean we can talk about that thing we've been meaning to talk about?" she asked hopefully.

A cloud of smoke wafted up in front of them, and a gigantic black dog sat in its place. "Bull," Kakashi greeted the Ninken. "Did you find anything?"

"We picked up a scent trail leading out of the desert about five miles from here, we followed it for a while, but we're pretty sure it leads to an underground system of tunnels."

Sakura frowned up at Kakashi. "That would explain why they've been able to keep out of sight all this time. Maybe they have someone with Earth style abilities in their army."

"They would have to," Kakashi agreed.

"Pakkun is sniffing for the entrance. You want me to show you the way?"

Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Kankuro who nodded once. The four of them followed Bull through the desert, keeping up with his fast pace as they maneuvered through the terrain. It wasn't long before they caught up to Pakkun and the other Ninken, finding an outcropping of desert rock to take cover behind while they surveyed the land.

Sure enough, the group spotted what appeared to be an entrance, concealed within the desert stone. "Good work boys," Kakashi told his Ninken.

"Yeah but now what?" Kankuro whispered. "It's not like we can go down there and take a headcount to find out how many people we're up against."

"They can't find out we were here," Kakashi said thoughtfully. "This is strictly espionage. As much as I hate it, our objective was to gather Intel only."

"But what if they decide to run?"

"We've got their scent," Pakkun stated. "They're not getting away from us now."

"There's no telling how far those tunnels stretch underground, and where else they might surface. Think about it from a survival standpoint. They need food and water and neither of those things are abundant in this location," Temari added. "They probably have tunnels running all over the place and surfacing at different locations."

"She's right," Sakura said. "This is probably one of many access points. Sumire has had years to work on these tunnels."

"Pakkun," Kakashi said, "do you think you and the other Ninken can find the remaining entrances?"

"Sure, we'll find them Boss. Might take all night, but we'll find them."

Kakashi nodded. "We've done all we can for tonight. I think the best thing for us to do at this point is get back to the Kazekage's palace, inform Gaara of what we found, and talk about our next plan of action."

"Agreed," Temari said.

"Boys, you can report back to me there," Kakashi told his Ninken.

The team spread out after that with the Ninken sniffing for other tunnel entrances, and the humans heading back for the palace. They were quiet on the journey, each lost in their own thoughts about what was in store for them with Sumire's army. Sakura feared it was much bigger than she'd originally anticipated, and wondered how they were going to successfully gather information on the group if they were living underground. For one thing, spying on your enemy was much harder when you couldn't _see_ where they were.

"Kakashi," Sakura said, "we should send for Hinata."

"Is that the girl with the Byakugan?" Temari asked.

"Yes," Sakura said. "If our objective is to gather intelligence, then we should have someone with us that can actually _see_ through solid objects. She could use the dojutsu to tell us how many people we're up against."

"That's not a bad idea, Sakura. We'll talk to Gaara-sama and get a message sent to Tsunade-sama," Kakashi agreed.

The group was crossing a flat area with sparse plant life that provided very little protection. Kakashi slowed his pace, lowering his right arm like a shield in front of Sakura's body as his face lifted to the wind. Sakura could feel the change in the air, and stiffened as she visually scoured her surroundings. "Something's not right," she whispered.

"No, it isn't," said an unfamiliar voice from behind them.

Sakura felt the blood run cold in her veins as she spun around, staring at a group of ninja who were dressed in similar camouflaged clothing. Sakura counted maybe fifteen ninja in total, and immediately slipped into the familiar fighting stance.

"Ambush," Temari breathed.

* * *

**Woo, gotta love those cliffhangers!**

**Sidebar: Loonymoony17 just wrote a new OneShot that you should check out! It's called "Over" so prepare to be sucker-punched in all the feels, because she did an excellent job with this one. I always say that art in any form should make you _feel_ something, and she's quite gifted in that category. Check it out and be sure to leave her a review. :)**

**As always, thank you for reading and stay tuned.**

**~Sparrow **


	9. The Art of the Unveiling

Chapter Nine

The Art of the Unveiling

* * *

"_Ambush," Temari breathed_.

Sakura stared at the group of ninja in front of her, singling out the female nin who stood front and center of the pack. Sakura could see a shock of purple hair spilling across her forehead, but the hood of her cloak obscured the rest from Sakura's view.

"I hear you've been looking for me, Kakashi of the Sharingan," the girl spoke, placing her hands on her hips.

"Shigaraki Sumire," Kakashi stated, his tone dropping to a cool timbre as he addressed her.

"I go by Kakei Sumire now. After all, my whole family is dead so there's no point in keeping their name alive." The girl paused, gaze sweeping over their meager group of four until settling on Sakura. "You Leaf nin have been making quite a bit of trouble for me."

"You've caused the trouble yourself," Sakura said, green eyes narrowing.

"Your Anbu took out a group of my best men," Sumire countered. "You'll have to pay for that."

"Your men were trying to capture Sai, and they almost killed one of my friends in the process," Sakura spat, taking a step forward. She probably would have kept walking had Kakashi not clamped his fingers around her wrist in what felt like a vice grip.

"He got in our way." Sumire shrugged. "We underestimated Sai's strengths. It won't happen again–that I can assure you."

"What do you want with him?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that information with my enemies," the purple-haired kunoichi said, mouth curling in a cruel smile.

"We don't need to be enemies," Kakashi tried to reason. "The teachings of Root are barbaric. There's a reason the practice was ended."

Sumire scoffed. "That's because the ninja of the Hidden Leaf are weak-minded."

"It doesn't matter what she wants," Sakura said, "she'll never get to Sai. She lacks the strength in numbers to start an actual war against Konoha." Sakura was baiting her, fishing for information without being direct.

"That may be true, Haruno Sakura, but we have other ways of getting what we want. I think you'll find the group of ninja I've collected to be rather… _skilled_ in their particular arts."

Sakura noticed that Kakashi had shifted his hitai-ate upward, opening his Sharingan eye. She could see the scarlet eye practically glowing in the dark.

"Let me tell you how this is going to work," Sumire began. "You're going to deliver Sai to us in three days' time. At which point, we will make an exchange."

"What kind of exchange?" Temari asked.

"Haruno Sakura for Sai." The purple-haired nin smirked.

Sakura snickered. "That's interesting, considering you haven't captured me."

"Yet." Sumire spun, hand dipping into her pouch and coming away with a handful of shuriken. The sharp metallic blades gleamed in the light of the desert moon, swirling through the air as they came directly at Sakura.

Kakashi flash-stepped in front of her, sword coming down to deflect the deadly weapons. The shuriken ricocheted off his blade, landing to the desert floor with a dull thud. Arms, legs, and weapons blurred in a flash of motion. The enemy nin advanced, and Sakura released the Strength of the Hundred Seal, channeling massive amounts of chakra through her system as she ran at the enemy. She was met head-on with a giant wall made from the desert earth, and slammed her fist into the russet surface, breaking it down.

A cloud of thick dust rose up around them; Sakura blinked, straining to see through the storm. Somewhere to her right, she could just make out the blue lightning of Kakashi's summoned Chidori. The desert came alive with the sound of battle cries as the four ninja fought against the group of rogues. True to her word, Sumire's army proved to be proficient with an array of jutsu, but none of them could hold a candle to the vast arsenal of jutsu at Kakashi's disposal.

"To your left!" Kankuro shouted, and Sakura ducked to avoid a handful of flying senbon. Sakura rolled to her side, watching as Kankuro plucked a scroll from his back and threw it into the mix, performing a series of hand signals as one of his puppets burst forth from the seal. Above her, she spotted Temari swooping down on her iron fan, using Wind Release against her opponent.

The fight continued as the dust began to clear. Sakura's opponents were no match for her strength; she knocked two of the rogue nin flat on their backs, and spun around to find Kakashi at her side. "Where's Sumire?" she asked him.

"The Earth-user grabbed her and took her underground," Kakashi said. He locked onto Sakura's arm, swinging her across his back as he deflected a shuriken with his sword, and Sakura dropkicked the last standing nin and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Temari!" Kankuro shouted. Sakura spun in time to witness the dark-haired nin collapse to his knees, hand clutching his side. "They took Temari."

"What?" Sakura ran to him, kneeling as she summoned her healing jutsu and laid her hand to the seeping wound on Kankuro's side. "What do you mean they took her?"

"I mean she's gone–the enemy has her! We have to get her back!" Kankuro winced, blood and sweat trickling down the side of his face. Sakura reached up to heal the abrasion on his scalp.

"_Dammit!_" Kakashi growled out the curse, performing a series of hand signs before pressing his palm to the ground and summoning Pakkun. The little brown dog appeared in a cloud of smoke before him. "Pakkun, I need you to find Temari's scent and track her. The enemy took her captive."

"You got it Boss," the dog said, immediately putting his nose to the ground as he maneuvered through the unconscious bodies strewn about the desert floor.

"It's no use," Sakura breathed. "They wanted me but they couldn't get me so they took what they could for insurance. We won't get her back unless we agree to hand over Sai."

"Fuck that," Kankuro spat in fury. "I say we get back to the palace and tell Gaara what happened; I say we take this bitch and what's left of her army out tonight."

"We still don't know what we're up against." Sakura shook her head. "There's no telling how many ninja are down in those tunnels. For all we know, this could have just been a ploy to lure us down there."

"I don't care, Sakura. We're talking about Temari here."

"All right look," Kakashi began, "Pakkun is going to find her scent, in the meantime, let's get back to the palace and discuss our next plan of action with the Kazekage."

Sakura could see the pain and indecision reflecting on Kankuro's face. His eyebrows contorted heavily, pulling lower over his eyes until he finally nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Let's go."

~/~

The air in Gaara's council room was too thin, and Sakura felt like she was struggling to catch her breath as Kakashi explained in full detail what the group had been through. She knew it was necessary to inform the Kazekage before any form of action was taken, but she could feel the weight of the precious minutes dragging by. She reasoned that Temari was safe on account of Sumire's exchange request, but that did little to ease the current of turmoil coursing through her mind. Sakura doubted Sumire would have risked taking a captive unless she had the man-power to protect herself. Surely she must realize that taking one of the Kazekage's siblings could only result in a counter attack.

"She's either confident that she's going to get exactly what she wants, or extremely naïve," Gaara said. "She's given us no choice but to attack."

"Even if we have strength in numbers, Sumire has the advantage underground," Sakura attempted to explain. "We don't know her terrain. It could be laden with traps that would just result in the loss of more of our comrade's lives."

"I don't think this is a battle of physical strengths, but rather one of the mind…" Kakashi said. "The reason Danzo had so many followers was because he was a skilled manipulator. He had a way of convincing people that following him was the only path. Sumire would have been taught that her best weapon was a skilled mind. If we have any chance at succeeding, we have to play by her rules."

"She wanted me," Sakura said, staring at the patterns in the woodgrain. "She said we have three days to make the exchange. She knew our names, Kakashi, she was expecting us…"

"Your point, Sakura?" Gaara asked, not impolitely.

"My point is she's done her research or someone has been spying on us for her. She knows our strengths, which means she knew she wouldn't have been able to capture me. She doesn't want Suna to attack, and the only way to prevent that is if she gives Temari back, and she'll do that if I agree to take Temari's place." Sakura looked up, green eyes locking with the Kazekage standing across from her.

The whole room went as silent as the grave.

"No." Kakashi's tone hardened. "No, Sakura, that's not happening."

"She won't hurt me–not if she believes we're sending for Sai," Sakura insisted. "Her vendetta is against the Hidden Leaf, _not_ Suna. If she agrees to the trade, I'm willing to bet she makes a deal with Gaara to keep Suna out of the fight."

"But I won't," he said adamantly. "We're allies Sakura, as far as I'm concerned, your fight is mine."

"Thank you," Sakura breathed. She shifted her gaze, looking up at Kakashi whose brows were pinched in anguish. She hated to see that look on his face–hated to be the reason for its cause. "I could learn a lot about her army in three days," Sakura continued. "That would give us a huge advantage in having time to prepare our troops for battle. We can send word to Tsunade-sama and have her send Sai, Naruto, Hinata, and Tenzo. They'd be huge assets in this battle."

"Sakura…" Kakashi stepped forward, his voice breaking around her name.

"Sakura is right, Kakashi-san," Gaara said. "Sumire is desperate to get what she wants. She hasn't thought of the consequences that will occur after she succeeds. She's young and overly confident in her abilities."

Sakura watched Kakashi's chest expanding with his sharp inhale. He was watching her, too, jaw clenched tightly behind the confines of his mask. He wasn't fooling her… She could see the flash of pain and anger pass through his visible eye, and only his respect for Gaara's position was keeping him from snapping. She watched his hands ball into fists at his sides before he turned abruptly and stormed out of the council room.

Sakura's jaw dropped open. "F-forgive me, Gaara, I should–"

"Go," Gaara told her, nodding once.

Sakura bowed before taking her leave and knew that Kankuro and Gaara's gaze was following after her. Sakura turned down the corridor, footsteps echoing down the empty hall as she jogged to catch up with Kakashi. He was a blur of movement, and it occurred to her that running away when things got tough was the action of a coward, and Kakashi was no coward. Her own anger ignited in her core as she stomped after him.

"Kakashi," she called. But Kakashi didn't slow. She called his name again when she caught up to him at the furthest end of the hall where their rooms were located. "_Kakashi_."

Still he didn't turn. Instead, he fished his key through the lock of his door, and slipped inside. He didn't attempt to shut her out, which was good because Sakura really didn't feel like paying for a door replacement in the Kazekage's palace. Had he slammed it in her face, she would have splintered the thing in trillions of pieces and left nothing but sawdust in their wake.

Sakura closed the door behind them, watching as Kakashi removed his hitai-ate and unclasped the cloak from around his shoulders. Next came his flak jacket which he let drop to the floor with a thud.

"Are you really not going to talk to me, Hatake?" Sakura let her own cape fall to the mattress after she'd slipped it from her shoulders.

He spun to look at her, silver hair falling lank over his forehead and slightly obscuring his vision. "You made that decision without me," he bit out, "I am your team leader, Sakura. You don't get to make decisions like that without consulting me first."

Oh… _Now_ she understood. Any residual anger she was feeling fizzled out in her veins, and her hands relaxed at her sides. "You know I'm right," she said gently. "It's the only way to make this work. Even Gaara agreed."

"That's not the point!" Kakashi lifted his hands, shaking his head as he dragged his fingertips through the unruly strands of his hair. "You made a decision without me. We're a team, Sakura. How can I protect you when you volunteer to go somewhere I can't follow?"

Something around her heart shattered at his words. Her lips parted, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she blinked them back. "Kakashi, I…"

"I know you don't need me, Sakura, but that's not the point." Kakashi's brows slanted over his eyes, and Sakura thought she'd never seen him look this way… so… so vulnerable. It was breaking her heart to know that she was causing him pain. "I can't lose you, too."

And that was it, wasn't it? Sakura knew he'd lost everyone he'd ever cared about, and here she was, volunteering for a mission that she might not come back from. They both knew what they'd signed up for the moment they became ninja. There was always a risk, but that was part of the job description: a willingness to sacrifice yourself for the good of the nation. That's what made this so much harder. Because she'd finally realized the weight of what she'd done.

Sakura's heart pounded furiously against her rib cage, rattling the bones in her chest as she closed the distance between them. "You won't lose me, Kakashi." Her hands were trembling when she laid them on his chest, and slowly, vigilantly, began sliding her palms up the rigid contours of solid muscle. She swallowed her nerves, fingertips trailing upwards until they gripped the edge of his mask; the fabric soft against her fingers. She could feel Kakashi's warm breath, and felt him stiffen beneath her touch.

"Do you trust me?"

His eye met hers as he murmured, "Unconditionally."

Sakura hooked her fingers beneath the edge of the mask, breath catching in her lungs as she slowly began to pull it down. The unveiling was an intimate process; she studied the perfect slope of his nose, watching as the sharp blades of his cheekbones came into view, and brushed against them with curious fingers. She tugged a little more, exposing his lips and the tiny beauty mark positioned just below the left corner of his mouth. Sakura pulled the mask below his chin, exposing his throat and the narrow jawline she'd laid her bare fingers on earlier that day to heal a bruise on his skin.

Sakura was right. Her imagination hadn't done the man justice. He was perfectly handsome, and she couldn't bring herself to stop staring. She reached up, brushing the soft curve of his full lower lip with the edge of her thumb.

"Sakura," Kakashi breathed her name, and just like that, whatever had been holding her together came undone. He bent, like he couldn't wait a moment more, and tilted her face to his under the guidance of his hand, pressing his lips to hers.

Sakura was sure she'd stopped breathing, only remembering she needed oxygen when Kakashi's lips parted over hers and he tightened his hold around her waist, bowing her body to his. She murmured gently against his mouth as he lifted her, legs locking around his hips as her arms tightened around his neck. The heat between them pulsed with electricity, and Sakura wondered if those currents were live, generating within her veins.

He kissed her, and for a moment she forgot all about the outside world and their impending responsibilities. She was totally lost in the heat of his embrace, inhaling his scent as it tangled deliriously through her senses. She kissed him back and realized that there was nothing else in the world that could compare to the way he made her feel.

Kakashi was the first to break their kiss as he rested his forehead against hers. They were both breathing heavy, chests rising and falling in time with one another. She felt his fingertips lightly skimming across her cheek as his fingers tangled into her hair and held her there, face pressed against his. "I won't lose you," Kakashi told her. He sat her on top of the dresser, but didn't remove his arms from around her waist.

Sakura pulled back just a little, enough to really see his face and let her fingers explore the length of his jaw. "I promise I won't ever make a decision of this caliber without talking to you first," she told him, even though she knew he wasn't really mad at her for that.

Kakashi drew a deep breath, chest expanding until he released it slowly. "I don't have to tell you what you've agreed to do is extremely dangerous, and if for a second I thought I could bind you to a chair and forbid you to go–I would."

Sakura couldn't help the reflexive path her eyebrows took as they arched towards her hairline in amusement. "I'd like to see you try," she commented, fingertips tangling in the shorter hair at his nape.

He narrowed his eye at her. "This is serious, Sakura. If Sumire is anything like Danzo we shouldn't underestimate her abilities."

"I'm not," Sakura said. She let the silence fill the small space between them, wishing that she could somehow take back what she'd done, but at the same time knowing it was their only option. "Tell me," Sakura prompted, "why did you join the Root organization, Kakashi? The man I know you to be could never stand for the things it represented."

Kakashi worked his jaw, and Sakura marveled at the look of the tendon sliding with the bone. She hoped she would never grow tired of seeing his expressions.

"The man you know me to be hasn't always made the right decisions, Sakura. I screwed up–a lot, in more ways than one, and it took a long time for me to become the man you now see," Kakashi told her.

"We all screw up, Kakashi. No one always makes the right choices." She gently pressed her hand to the side of his face, thumb sliding over his cheekbone.

"I was already an Anbu soldier when Danzo approached me, he just happened to catch me at a time in my life where I was most vulnerable." Kakashi scrubbed a hand over his face as if to wipe the pain of the memory away. "When the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha, the Third Hokage assigned me and a few other comrades to different parts of the city and prevented us from assisting in the direct battle. That was the day Minato-sensei and his wife Kushina died…"

"Oh Kakashi," Sakura said his name on a sigh, knowing full well where this story was leading.

"I thought I could have protected them. If only I'd been allowed to participate, then maybe they would still be here and Naruto wouldn't have had to grow up without his parents." Kakashi backed away from the dresser, leaving Sakura's hands to fall in her lap as he turned. Kakashi raked his hand across the back of his neck as his gaze fell to the floor. "I was angry, Sakura, and Danzo took advantage of that."

"What did he want from you?"

"He believed that the Third Hokage didn't have Konoha's best interests at heart, so he asked me to spy on him and I agreed."

Sakura frowned, green eyes searching Kakashi's face for any sign that he might be lying. "You loved the Third… I don't understand."

"I was fortunate that the Third made me see the error of my ways and allowed me to have a second chance," Kakashi said. "He caught me breaking into the Hokage tower in my attempt to dig up information on the Wood Release jutsu. Instead of punishing me, he gave me the information I was looking for and helped me understand that Danzo could have stopped the Nine-Tails attack had he employed the skills of a certain Root member who was able to perform the Wood Release. If he'd done that, then perhaps Minato-sensei and Kushina would be here today," Kakashi finished.

Sakura covered her mouth with her hand. "I… I never knew."

"That's because the Third pardoned Danzo for his crimes, and the whole incident was swept under the rug. It was like it never happened… I tried to resign from Anbu after that, but the Third considered my placement to be invaluable and he made me his right-hand man. I stayed there, Sakura, against my will for three more years."

Sakura felt a deep sadness for Kakashi tighten in her chest. She slid down from the dresser, walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I'm sorry, Kakashi… The things you must have seen and had to do…"

"Are in the past," Kakashi lamented. "It haunts me like a ghost sometimes, but I refuse to stop fighting for those I have lost, and for those I refuse to lose." Kakashi lifted his hand, stroking Sakura's cheek with his knuckles. "That's why we are ninja."

There was a knock on Kakashi's door that sent a bolt of panic through Sakura's stomach. Kakashi pulled up his mask, hiding his handsome face from her before regrettably removing her arms from his waist. She was left to stand in the middle of the room while he answered the door. The man standing on the opposite side was one of Gaara's advisors. She recognized him from the council meeting earlier that morning.

"Gaara-sama has requested your presence in his office," the man informed them.

Sakura swallowed over a lump that was rising in the back of her throat and forced herself to move. She wanted more time–_needed_–more time. They still hadn't talked about what any of this meant, but as Sakura touched her bottom lip, feeling the ghost of Kakashi's mouth upon hers, she didn't think words could make a difference. She had fallen for him, and she prayed that he would be here waiting for her when she got back–_if_–she got back.

The pair walked silently beside one another on the way to Gaara's office. Kankuro and several other familiar faces were waiting for them, hovering over a map of the Suna desert that had been laid out on the round table.

"Welcome back." Gaara nodded at them, gesturing towards the map as he began explaining the military strategy. "The Suna entrance to the tunnel lies here." Gaara pointed to a spot on the map about eight miles outside the city gates where they had been earlier. The idea that someone had been able to set up even a portion of the tunnel system right under Gaara's nose and so close to their protected city was highly disconcerting. "Kakashi's Ninken are scouting for any other possible entrances as we speak, and as far as we know, the enemy isn't aware that the Ninken are tracking them. We've been given a total of three days to make an exchange between Sai and Sakura. That will give us plenty of time to post military units outside each entrance, and block all the exits. When it comes time to make the exchange, Sakura will have collected information from the inside, providing us with enough detail to swiftly and effectively take out our enemies which will hopefully yield in fewer casualties on our side."

Gaara leaned forward, fingertips propped against the burnished surface of the round table and gave his attention to the Leaf nin. "Word has been sent to your Hokage about the situation at hand. We've asked that she send a reconnaissance team, including the names you've requested."

"Thank you, Gaara-sama," Sakura said.

The group talked strategy and tactics for what seemed like hours. As the time ticked by, Sakura could sense Kakashi withdrawing into himself, retreating into the shadows that haunted his mind. She wanted to reach for him–to wrap her fingers around his wrist and provide him with even just a small amount of comfort, but Kakashi had a tendency to retreat when things were out of his control, and she didn't know if even she would be able to pull him out of his darkness. Her uncertainty kept her rooted in place, hands clasped tightly together in front of her.

"Is everyone clear on their objectives?" Gaara's voice rose above the din and pulled Sakura from her inner thoughts. His advisors nodded, and the military personnel in the room responded adequately. "Then it's time," Gaara said.

~/~

Few things in life made Sakura nervous anymore. She was a seasoned kunoichi at the young age of twenty-one, and had fought very hard to get to where she was. Sakura was proud of the transformation she'd made since graduating the Academy; few others could match her strength and medical abilities. Sakura understood her objective and accepted the responsibility of the mission, but the one thing she hadn't factored in was how hard it was going to be to walk away from Kakashi.

A group of Sand ninja, including Gaara himself, and the two Leaf nin made the trek back into the desert just as the eastern sky was beginning to lighten with a pale pre-dawn glow. The stars were fading into the west, and the world around her seemed to be listening in quiet, watchful hesitation. When they reached the Suna tunnel entrance, Sakura wasn't the least bit surprised to see that Sumire was waiting for them with a handful of rebel nin at her back.

"Have you come to negotiate a trade?" Sumire snickered, positioning her hands on her hips as she lifted her chin, "Gaara of the Hidden Sand." She said his title as though it were a satire.

"The Kazekage does not negotiate with terrorists," one of his advisors spoke, but Gaara held up his hand, motioning for the man to stay silent.

"You have one of my people," Gaara said, his tone chillingly low. "You will return her unharmed if you wish to avoid war, Kakei Sumire. Refuse and you will suffer great loss at the hands of Suna's ninja forces."

"How do you know my army isn't bigger than yours?" The girl plucked a kunai from her pouch and began fishing the blade beneath her nails as if to clean the dirt and debris.

"A necessary risk and one I'm willing to take," Gaara said.

Sumire's purple eyebrows inched higher on her forehead. "You must really care for this woman… if you're willing to risk the death of all your soldiers to save one life." She put great effort into making her tone ring with boredom. "Tell you what, _Gaara of the Hidden Sand_, I'll return your sister unharmed if you can guarantee that your military won't attack my people. We have no qualms against Sunagakure, our discord lies only with the Hidden Leaf."

"You're residing in Sunagakure," Gaara countered, "and if you refuse to address me as your Kazekage and adhere to the laws inherit of this land, I'll have no choice but to intervene."

"We don't reside in Suna, Kazekage-sama," Sumire said sweetly. "We reside _under_ it. If I'm not mistaken, that's considered free land outside the realms of your law. You have no authority over me. Now, do you want your sister or not?"

Gaara's eyes were blazing. Sakura could see the control it was taking for him not to summon his sand and blast his way through the tunnels. "If Suna agrees to stay out of the fight between the rebel ninja and the Hidden Leaf, you'll let Temari walk free, do I understand that correctly?"

"Temari was insurance," Sumire said. "A pawn, if you will. I wanted Sakura, but I knew she would only come freely if the life of one of her friends were at stake." Sumire grinned and Sakura's stomach twisted and lurched.

Sakura had been right. That had been Sumire's plan all along.

"Temari walks when Sakura turns herself in. You have three days to bring me Sai, Kakashi of the Sharingan. Until then, Pinkie stays with me."

Sakura turned to Kakashi, pretending to play the part as she reached up and grabbed hold of Kakashi's vest. "Do as she says, Kakashi. It's the only way to avoid an all-out war." Sakura looked into his eye and saw his exterior hardening before her own eyes. This was the Kakashi she knew on the battlefield–the cold, indifferent genius.

"Three days," Kakashi repeated. "You don't get Sai until I see Sakura returned unharmed. Is that clear?"

"As clear as a mirage on a hot desert day," Sumire deadpanned. "We'll make the trade at the rise of nightfall. _Just you, _Kakashi. She won't be released if you try to bring backup."

"We have a deal," Gaara said, "impending Temari's return."

Sumire gazed at the Kazekage in silence, a moment passed before she nodded, giving one of her men permission to retrieve Temari from the tunnels. Temari emerged, bound and gagged with chakra chains, and was led out by two enemy-nin dressed head to toe in desert camouflage. Temari's deep teal eyes were wide and pleading, a deep crease carved between her brows as she glanced at Sakura.

"She's been drugged, Gaara, make sure she gets to the hospital," Sakura told him.

"This way, Haruno, and don't dawdle, we don't have all day," Sumire said.

"Three days," Kakashi said, taking her hand in his. His fingers squeezed just a little too rough, but Sakura didn't care. She knew this was his promise; his pledge to get her back no matter the cost. She could see the determination burning behind his iris, and all she could do was cling to his promise as she looked up at him.

"Three days," she repeated meekly. "I trust you, Kakashi." _With my life_, she wanted to add.

But she didn't have to. Kakashi could see it on her face.

Reluctantly she turned, walking away until his hold on her hand finally broke. She could feel the path his fingers had taken as his rough calluses slid across her skin, and she would remember the weight and warmth of his touch as she slipped into the darkness.

* * *

**Sorry guys, two cliffhangers in a row. I'm such a sucker for them. **

**As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read. I love hearing your feedback, and I hope you're enjoying the story!**

**Happy reading,**

**~Sparrow**

**(P.S. For those of you who are following, I'm going to try and stay consistent with regular Sunday updates!) :) **


	10. The Art of Knowing One's Enemy

Chapter Ten

The Art of Knowing One's Enemy

* * *

_Three days_, Sakura thought dismally.

Three days was nothing in the grand scheme of things. She'd gone on missions that had required her to be away from home for months at a time, so three days should be a cake walk in comparison. But this was different in so many ways… _Kakashi had kissed her_. He'd turned her whole world upside down with just that one, single press of his lips against hers, and then she'd had to walk away. Sakura wanted to believe that it meant something–that he hadn't just been acting on an impulse because she volunteered to go somewhere he couldn't follow. She knew him, deep within her bones, and reasoned that he wasn't the kind of man that would do something without first thinking of the consequences. If he kissed her… it was because he meant to.

"Check her for weapons," Sumire ordered one of her men that had followed them into the tunnel. Gas-powered lanterns hanging on the earth-made walls provided their only source of light, and Sakura watched the play of shadows against her capturer's features. The girl was young, maybe just a few years younger than Sakura, but the way she'd been living had hardened her exterior. Dark shadows underscored the girl's eyes, and thin lines bracketed her mouth when she pressed her lips together in thought.

Sakura's guard plucked her hip pouch from her waist, removing the kunai she had stored there. His rough hands slid down her legs, over her boots and missed the senbon she kept stored just beneath her right leg guard. Sakura bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. The guard handed Sumire the weapons he'd found, and Sumire nodded. Sakura's arms were yanked behind her back, and her wrists were bound by chakra constraints.

"It's just precautionary," Sumire told her. "You understand.

Sakura didn't reply as they led her through the tunnels. They walked a long time in silence, deep under the Suna desert. Hours may have passed before Sakura noticed the tunnels widening and leveling out.

"How many access points to the ground are there?" Sakura ventured to ask. In the blink of an eye, her guard reared back and struck the side of her face with the back of his hand; hard enough to make her vision go black as silver stars crackled at the edges. Sakura winced, shoulders tensing as she glowered up at the big man and tasted hot copper spilling into her mouth from where she must have bitten her tongue.

"You do _not_ get to speak," he growled at her.

Sakura spit a stream of crimson up at the man's face, and smiled in satisfaction when she saw her blood dripping from his eye. He reared back to hit her again, but Sakura was ready for him this time.

"You bitch!" he shouted. His hand was coming down, but to Sakura's surprise, Sumire reached up and grabbed his wrist.

"No Hideo," she said. "You heard what Hatake said. This one must return unharmed or else we won't get Sai."

"There's not much of a difference between being unharmed and not dead in my opinion," the man–Hideo?–replied. He reached up, dragging his meaty forearm across his face to wipe the mixture of blood and spit from his brow, glowering at Sakura.

"What is it that you want from Sai?" Sakura asked.

Sumire plucked a lantern from the wall, and turned down a tunnel to their left, but didn't reply.

"The Hidden Leaf will retaliate," Sakura said. "If you think we're just going to hand Sai over without a fight, you're insane."

"We'll be ready for your retaliation," Sumire said. "I demand justice for what the Hidden Leaf did to my father. You Leaf ninja think you're above everyone, don't you? You're so self-righteous, thinking your laws are superior. You're loyal to a weak-minded Hokage who doesn't understand what it means to lead a nation."

Sakura's blood began to boil; she felt the hot acid in her veins rising up through the surface of her skin. Her shishou wasn't perfect, but she was a damn good leader, and Sakura wouldn't have become the person she was today without her guidance. It was true that Tsunade-sama had a tough outer layer, but in some ways, Sakura felt that their relationship was almost like mother and daughter. After all, she'd taken Sakura under her wing and helped her when others thought she was hopeless. So needless to say, Sakura's fury was well deserved when someone started talking shit about their Hokage.

"You're wrong," Sakura ground out through clenched teeth. "She's the reason the Hidden Leaf has known peace since the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War."

"She's the reason my father was exiled to a barren wasteland," Sumire returned.

"_Exiled_," Sakura repeated in a stunned tone. "Is that what he told you?"

"That's what I know."

"Your father was a coward," Sakura said. "He fled Konoha after Danzo died because he knew he would have to stand trial for his crimes. Do you even know what Danzo did to the people who followed him?"

Sumire slowed, casting a half glance over her shoulder as they approached a wooden door. She reached up, laying her hand against its surface. "Konoha will pay for what they've done," Sumire said. "Sai will make sure of that." She pushed the door open, and Sakura saw that it was a small chamber with nothing but a cot and a wooden chair. "Make yourself comfortable, Haruno Sakura, you're not going anywhere for a while."

~/~

The early morning sunlight streamed through the windows in the sparring arena, but Kakashi turned his back to the light, lowering himself to the floor where he could start his third round of push-ups. Or was it his fourth? He'd been alternating between sit-ups and pull-ups. Sleep was unimaginable at this point, and though his limbs were aching under protest of his rigorous workout, his mind was still racing. This was the only way he knew to quiet the monsters that haunted the darkest corners of his thoughts.

_He'd let her walk away_…

Sakura had walked into the chasms of darkness, and Kakashi had stood there–watching in miserable desperation when he could do nothing to change her mind. Kakashi rarely gifted anyone with his trust, and though he trusted Sakura to take care of herself, he had little faith that his enemies were the reliable kind. _It could have been a trap_, his mind told him, torturing him further. _And you just let her walk in there without so much as a fight_. Kakashi slammed his fist into the mats, momentarily losing his balance as he toppled to the side. He caught himself, pushing up to his knees and raked a hand through the tangled ends of his hair.

"You should be resting," a voice sounded from the doorway.

Kakashi looked up to see the Kazekage himself standing with his arms crossed, casually leaning against the doorframe. Kakashi was breathing heavy, chest rising and falling as sweat beaded his forehead and saturated the neckline of his shirt. "I can't sleep," he told Gaara.

"I've never seen you this way, Kakashi-san," Gaara said. "In all the years I've known you and have fought alongside you, not once have I seen your feathers so ruffled."

Kakashi clenched his jaw tightly. "Sakura…"

"Sakura is a capable kunoichi, you know this as well as I. She did what she believed was right. We need to have faith in her." Gaara uncrossed his arms and strolled into the sparring arena, stopping just a foot away from Kakashi as Kakashi pulled himself to his feet.

"But what if it's a trap?" _What if the enemy doesn't want Sai–what if this whole time they were after Sakura and we just willingly handed her over?_ Kakashi's silver brow slanted heavily above his visible eye that at the moment appeared more black than gray. He loathed himself for sounding so weak, even in his head.

"Then the scheme was artfully elaborated, and we will take our vengeance upon them," Gaara reasoned. "She's a ninja, Kakashi… she knows that the next mission might be the last."

Kakashi shook his head, turning away from Gaara as he dragged his heavy palm across the back of his neck. He wouldn't accept that. He _couldn't_.

Gaara was silent for a moment, watching the golden arc of the tumescent sun climb above the desert and wash them in her bright glow. Gaara stood shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi, staring off into the distance. "You love her," he said.

The tightness evaporated in Kakashi's chest as something more plenary swept through his being. Gaara hadn't asked a question, so Kakashi didn't feel inclined to reply. He didn't have to. Kakashi had always been more of an 'actions in the place of words' kind of man, and in this case, his actions most certainly spoke volumes. But he would tell her, he vowed, he would tell her the moment he got her back and spend the rest of his life regretting that he hadn't told her before she walked off into the darkness.

"Have faith, Kakashi," Gaara told him.

~/~

"Sakura did what?!" Naruto banged his fist against the Hokage's desk, knocking over one of Tsunade's figurines in the commotion and disturbing a stack of papers.

Tsunade narrowed her honey-brown eyes at the boy as Shizune reached across the desk and straightened the figurine. Sasuke clasped Naruto's shoulder and tugged him back to stand in line with the rest of them.

"As I was saying," Tsunade continued, "Sakura traded herself to free Temari in effort to obtain information on Sumire's army." Tsunade explained the conditions that were placed, and told them what was expected of them upon their arrival to Suna. "Sumire can't know that you are there or else she won't release Sakura. But if she thinks we're just going to hand over Sai without a fight, she's got another thing coming."

"I'm happy to exchange my life for Sakura's," the dark-haired nin replied.

"No way man, there's no chance in hell I'm going to let that happen." Naruto poked himself in the chest with his thumb–hard enough that Tsunade actually thought she heard his sternum cracking under the pressure. "We don't trade lives–period. I'm going to get Sakura out of there, _and_ keep you safe."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Sasuke asked.

"Easy," Naruto grinned, "we'll use a shadow clone."

Tsunade looked up from her desk, resting her chin on the back of her folded hands. "Forgive me Naruto, but that sounds much too easy."

"Exactly." Naruto leaned against the desk, bringing himself to Tsunade's eye level. "They won't be expecting it because it is too easy. Plus, we only need it to work long enough for Sumire to show us that Sakura is okay."

"The whole point of this exchange is to avoid bloodshed," Shizune added. "We agreed to hand over Sai with his permission, just until Sakura provides us with the information we need to take out the enemy. With Suna and Konoha allied, Sumire's army will fall."

"Bloodshed is unavoidable," Sasuke commented. "By taking one of our own, they've made it personal."

Tsunade held up her hand to silence the ninja and began massaging her temples. "I'm getting too old for this job," she groaned.

"I've been telling you that for _ages_," Naruto said, dramatically rolling his eyes.

Tsunade ignored him. "Konoha isn't negotiating anything, Sasuke. We're playing her game in order to ensure none of our own will be lost in a senseless battle. Sumire is a child. Children who play with fire get burned."

Sasuke smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I like Naruto's idea."

"Of course you do." Now it was the Hokage's turn to roll her eyes, which of course was accompanied by a lengthy sigh. _Children_. She was still dealing with a bunch of children. Tsunade lifted her hand, absentmindedly examining her fingernails while she thought of resigning. _Kakashi would be an excellent candidate_, she thought. She'd always intended on the man to take her place–at least until Naruto was competent enough to handle the job title.

"Just hear me out Tsunade-bachan, I think this will work…" Naruto began.

~/~

The guards had strapped Sakura to a wooden chair and administered some kind of hallucinogen. It hit her before she could summon enough healing chakra to clear the drugs from her system and left her sluggish as her head lulled from her shoulders. _This isn't going to work,_ she thought desperately. _If they keep me drugged for three days, I'll never gather the information I need to help Sai. _Sakura watched the walls begin to shift, earth and wood twisting in a kaleidoscope of motion. She closed her eyes, trying hard to stop the spiraling dizziness.

Images from her own memory danced across the back of her eyelids; Kakashi carrying her to bed, her hands tangling in the hair at his nape as his mouth came down to hers. She could taste him–_feel_ his hands on her body. Maybe if she could just cling to those things she could work up enough chakra control to push the drugs out of her system.

Hours passed–and for all Sakura knew, it could have been days, but eventually the drug-induced haze surrounding her brain eased up enough for her to push the sedation from her body. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of the deep earth and the musty scent of decay. She was still bound by chakra ropes, but she knew what she had to do. She used her nimble flexibility, pushing up just enough with her legs so she could free her arms from their position around the backboard of the chair. She slid to the very edge, sweeping her tied arms underneath her thighs and down her calf until she reached her boot. With an expert slide of her hand, she hooked a finger through the buckles and fished the senbon from its hiding place.

The ropes around her wrists and legs constricted her use of chakra-strength, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be able to saw through them with her needle-sharp weapon. A few short minutes later, Sakura had managed to free herself from her confines and made her way to the door. She pressed her ear to the wood, holding her breath as she listened for any sign that there was life going on out there, but heard nothing. Very gently, she tested the handle, barely turning it to check the give, and to her surprise, found that it was unlocked. She turned it, pushing outward, only to have the door yanked out from her grip as a guard thrust his hands into her chest and sent her flying backwards. She landed against the cot and somehow managed to knock the chair over in her fall.

"That didn't take as long as I thought it would," Sumire said, stepping around the big man in the doorway. "Those drugs should have lasted for hours."

"Yeah, well, I'm sort of a super-powerful chakra freak." Sakura righted herself, but chose not to move away from the cot.

Sumire walked into the room, picked up the chair and straddled it as she crossed her arms over the backboard. "I don't want to hurt you Sakura. You're invaluable as a medic; not many ninja come anywhere close to having your gifts. That's why I chose you. I knew Konoha would do anything to get you back."

"How'd you know we were looking for you?" Sakura asked.

Sumire stared at Sakura, drawing a heavy breath before she decided to answer. "I knew something must have gone wrong when my captain never reported back on his efforts to capture Sai, so I sent three scouts to look for them. You killed two of them in Tanigakure, but the third was hiding in the woods, gathering Intel to bring back to me." Sumire snickered. "Imagine my surprise when I learned the famous Copy-nin and Konoha's best medic were on their way to find me."

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek as the pieces began to align. "What is it that you think Sai will help you accomplish anyway? You do know that after Danzo was killed, Sai's curse mark was lifted–do you want him because you think he'll give you information on Root operations?"

"I know everything there is to know about Root," Sumire retorted. "The reason I want Sai is because he belongs with his people."

Sakura blinked rapidly, eyebrows knitting together. "_His people?_" she questioned. "His place is in Konoha with his friends, Sumire. Team Seven is his family."

"My father said he was working undercover for Danzo when he was placed on your pathetic team. He told me Konoha was holding him captive after Danzo was killed and that I had to promise him I would get him back."

Sakura was shaking her head, frowning at the young girl before her. "Sai is not a captive, Sumire. He has his own apartment–his own life. He's not a prisoner in any sense of the term. He wouldn't willingly join your cause, Sumire. Sai doesn't believe in Root teaching anymore."

Sumire continued to gaze blankly at Sakura, arms poised across the back of the chair. "Sai is a fundamental key player. I need him to exact my revenge on Konoha."

"You're not listening to anything I'm saying, are you?" Sakura narrowed her green eyes; her blood was beginning to boil in frustration.

"I hear you, Haruno Sakura. I just don't trust that you're telling the truth. My father wouldn't lie to me. You wouldn't understand because you didn't know him."

"You're right," Sakura said, "I didn't know him. But I know he's wrong about Sai. You'll see. He'll never help you, Sumire. He'd die before he betrayed Konoha."

Sumire's face remained perfectly placid–not even a tick in her brow would indicate an ounce of emotion. Perhaps the Root teachings were ingrained deeply in her veins, but Sakura knew she wasn't entirely void of emotion. The very act of revenge required devotion and commitment. Sakura knew that Sumire cared about her dad, because she wouldn't be carrying out these plans otherwise. On the inside, she was a burning inferno of anger and resentment; she might be masking those emotions on the surface, but Sakura knew she was _feeling_… That, at least, was something she could work with.

"How did your father die, Sumire?" Sakura asked in a soft, concerned tone.

A shadow seemed to fall over the purple-haired girl's face before she spoke. "He killed himself because my mother died from her failing health. We didn't have a medic; Konoha made sure of that," she replied flatly. "I think that's enough information for today." Sumire stood in an abrupt motion, gesturing for the big guard that had been standing in the doorway. "Double her dose this time, and take the senbon away from her. We don't need a repeat of that pathetic escape attempt." Sumire spun on her heel and slipped past the guard in the doorway.

Sakura thought about taking out her guard. She could do it–all she had to do was summon her strengthening chakra and the man would be no match for her. But as he swept into the room, forcefully jerking Sakura from the edge of the cot and half throwing her into the chair, Sakura remembered that attempting to escape wouldn't help Sai. After all, she'd just learned some valuable information… She would endure the conditions of her prison environment for as long as she had to if it would help her team–because that was the kind of kunoichi she was.

Sakura closed her eyes and grit her teeth as he guard jammed a needle into her upper arm and plunged a double dose of serum into her body. It hit her in an instant, and the last thing Sakura saw before darkness claimed her consciousness was Kakashi's face.

~/~

Kakashi leaned against the wall in Temari's hospital room, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at the scuffed linoleum tile. Gaara was sitting in the chair beside her bed, hand gently folded around her fingers so as not to disturb the myriad of wires that were attached to her body, monitoring her vitals on the machines behind her bed. The hospital had pumped her full of fluids to try and flush the drugs from her system, and all Kakashi could think about was whether or not Sakura was suffering a similar fate in the tunnels.

Kakashi hated hospitals. He hated the strong scent of bleach and antiseptic that burned his nostrils; he could smell the stench of festering wounds and sickness beneath the chemicals, and it brought back far too many unpleasant memories from harsher times served on the battlefield as his comrades died around him. Vaguely, Kakashi wondered how many times he'd been carried into a hospital and almost not made it out. His disliking of the hospital environment was no secret among his team; Sakura had been the one to thank for keeping him out and allowing him to recover at home. She'd personally see to all his medical needs and make sure he received the best care possible–inadvertently spoiling him. Kakashi reasoned that he probably had been a great burden over the years, but she would never tell him that. Sakura was a true force in her element; unstoppable and remarkably gentle despite the short fuse attached to her temper. _Gods_, what he wouldn't give to have her scold him right now for moping around when he should be taking care of himself and preparing for possible battle.

Kankuro swept into the room a moment later, drawing Kakashi from his inner thoughts. "Are there any changes?" the dark-haired shinobi asked.

"No," Gaara replied. "The healers say it won't be long before she wakes."

Kankuro nodded, gripping the railing at the foot of Temari's bed. The tendon worked in his jaw, and as his gaze met Kakashi's, he could see the violet half-moons underscoring his dark eyes. "No offense, Kakashi-san, but you look like shit."

Kakashi snickered. "Evidently you haven't seen a mirror."

The corner of Kankuro's mouth twitched in a tired smile. "Some lot we are, huh?"

"It's been a long night for everyone," Gaara said, glancing up to meet Kakashi's eye. "You should get some rest. I'll notify you the moment something changes."

"I appreciate that, but I'll endure." Kakashi raked stiff fingers through the back of his hair and gazed at the girl resting on the bed. There would be no rest for Kakashi–not until Sakura was returned to him and he could pull her into his arms and threaten to keep her trapped there. It wasn't recommended, but Kakashi had survived multiple battles without sleep, relying on soldier pills alone to keep his body functioning. He'd do the same now if he had to. Besides, he was still waiting on Pakkun to arrive and notify the group of the other entrances they'd found. And when Temari woke up, perhaps she could give them some information about the tunnels and Sumire's army.

Gaara didn't argue. Instead, he sat back in the chair, deep-jade eyes focused on Temari. Kakashi wasn't sure how much time passed, but he thought the room seemed darker when he noticed a cloud of smoke appearing to his right as Pakkun popped into existence beside him.

"Forgive the intrusion Kazekage-sama," the pug said, "I stopped at the palace first but the staff told me I would find you here." The pug twisted to acknowledge Kakashi. "Hi Boss."

"Pakkun." Kakashi greeted him with a nod.

"There is no intrusion to forgive," Gaara told the pug. "What have you discovered?"

"There are only three tunnel entrances that the Ninken could find. The furthest one seems to be close to Tanigakure in the Land of Rivers. It's near the old Akatsuki hideout where we found you all those years ago," Pakkun told the redheaded-nin.

Gaara pressed his lips into a tight line. He'd been captured by the Akatsuki then and had the One-Tailed beast removed from his body against his will which ultimately resulted in his death. Naruto had rescued him, and Granny Chiyo traded her life to bring Gaara back from the dead. Those weren't exactly fond memories for Gaara, and he hadn't been to that part of Rivers since. "And where is the third entrance?" he asked.

"Close to the border of Amegakure in Rain," Pakkun said. "They're spread out in almost a near perfect triangle."

"Great work Pakkun, Suna appreciates your services." Gaara nodded to the little pug. "I'll dispatch backup to each location tomorrow morning. We'll have soldiers ready and waiting at the entrances when the exchange takes place. Would you be willing to lead my armies to the entrances?"

"Of course," Pakkun told Gaara. "Me and the boys will be happy to provide the escort–anything to help get Sakura-chan back safely."

"Thank you, Pakkun," Kakashi said to his Ninken.

"I'll go tell the boys what's to be expected. Tell Temari-san we're thinking of her when she wakes up." With that, Pakkun disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Well," Kankuro said, "at least there's only three entrances and not a hundred and three. Manning the locations will be much easier."

"True," Gaara said, "but that doesn't mean the Earth-user can't make more tunnels and exits once he realizes we're guarding the other entrances."

"Tenzo will make sure that doesn't happen," Kakashi said. In all his years, he'd never seen a more talented Earth-user than Tenzo. His ability to perform the Wood Release jutsu would outrival a regular Earth-style user's abilities and render them nearly useless.

"I received word from your Hokage this morning, the team you requested is on their way," Gaara told him. "With Sakura on the inside, we won't fail."

But it was that fact alone that had Kakashi so tense. He needed a job–_anything_, to help keep him busy until the rest of his team and backup squad arrived.

A tiny metallic squeal sounded to his left. Kakashi turned his head and saw that Temari was stirring. She blinked against the fluorescent lighting, raising her hand to try and shield her eyes from the intensity of the brightness.

"Easy, Temari," Gaara said, pushing up from the chair and took her hand in his. Kankuro rushed to her other side. "You're home and safe. You're in the hospital."

"Well then get me out," Temari choked out hoarsely as she frowned up at the two men hovering over her bed. Kakashi thought her quick retort sounded like something Sakura would say if she found herself in the same position.

Gaara smiled down at the blond fondly. "I'll see to your release soon, but you don't need to overdo it."

"What about Sakura? I saw them take her…"

"We have a lot to tell you," Kankuro stated and Kakashi listened patiently while the two caught her up to speed on what had happened since she'd been out.

When they finished explaining what she missed, Gaara asked her, "Do you know where they kept you?"

"I-I don't know," she replied with a frown. "I was alone and it was dark."

"Did you see anyone that you can remember?"

"Just the Earth-style user and the purple-haired girl–Sumire? They drugged me right away; I don't know what they gave me but it was a pretty strong hallucinogen." Temari struggled to push herself up but Gaara placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Let me," he said, reaching for the little remote that controlled her bed's positioning. "They want you to take it easy."

"I'm a ninja, Gaara, I don't know the definition of 'easy'."

Gaara sighed, eyes meeting Kankuro's across the small space. "Would you find a healer and tell them Temari is awake, please? The sooner she's released, the happier all our lives will be," Gaara attempted to tease.

Kakashi was happy that Temari was awake and feeling well, but he wasn't in any type of mood for lightheartedness. In fact, he thought it best to make his way back to the palace where he knew a few of those soldier pills were stashed among his gear. He cleared his throat, getting ready to inform them of his leave when Temari called his name.

"Might I have a word, Kakashi-san?" She looked at Gaara and said, "Alone."

"Of course," Gaara replied. He squeezed Temari's hand once more and rose from the chair, lightly touching Kakashi's shoulder on his way out into the hallway.

"I don't know why exactly," Temari began once the room was cleared, "but I feel like I should be thanking you…"

"I didn't do anything," Kakashi told her.

Temari pressed her lips together before replying. "I saw the way you looked at her, Kakashi-san. I know how hard it must have been for you to agree to let her take my place," Temari paused, looking down at her hand and the wires still attached. "Not that Sakura would give anyone much of an option regardless, but, I'm grateful."

Kakashi didn't know what to say. Were his feelings for Sakura really so transparent that others were beginning to notice the change? He wasn't ashamed of how he felt–nor did he give a damn what anyone else thought, but there was a part of him that worried about how it would affect Sakura's other relationships. Would her friends view her differently, or think it strange to know he was her ex-sensei and current team leader? He hated the idea of making her life any more difficult than it already was…

"Kakashi," Temari said his name in a gentle tone, drawing his attention. "We're going to get her back. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Kakashi said, "I know."

Come hell or high water. He would get her back.

* * *

**Thanks for hanging in there loyal readers; you guys are real troopers. I promise, more romance is on the horizon. **

**As always, thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.**

**~Sparrow**

**(P.S. I just joined the Tumblr universe, so if you're on there, give me a shout and I'll follow you back.) ;) (blackbriarsparrow) **


	11. The Art of a Grand Rescue

Chapter Eleven

The Art of a Grand Rescue

* * *

Sakura's head lulled against her shoulders, dropping to her chest before the tight snap in her spine woke her. She sucked in a sharp breath, running her tongue along her cracked lower lip and tried to push chakra through her system in her brief moment of coherency. Whatever they'd given her had caused severe dehydration. Her limbs were weighted with sluggishness–it seemed a huge feat just to keep her eyelids open; gathering enough chakra to push the drugs from her system seemed impossible. Still, she had to try.

Every movement required concentrated effort, and Sakura's subconscious was fighting to pull her back into the chasms of darkness. _Sleep_, it seemed to taunt, _sleep and dream and feel nothing._ She wanted to succumb to the alluring temptation; at least in her dreams Kakashi was there. Her mind played images of his face on a loop, torturing her sweetly. There were worse fates to suffer, she thought vacuously. She could see his masked-face hovering above her own; his fingertips poised on the side of her cheek as he gazed down on her with worry and fear. Her hair was shorter then, she noted, and they were both covered in blood and grime–this was a flashback of the Fourth Shinobi War. She'd opened her eyes and for the first time noticed the shift in their relationship… Kakashi had never looked at her that way before.

Sakura might have saved herself a lot of heartache if she'd read into that look. Maybe she would have started to feel something for Kakashi much sooner than she had. But she was still young, and the only stars in her eyes back then had been shaped like Sasuke.

Sakura's chest heaved as she tried to push chakra through, but exhaustion wracked her body. The air around her was still and heavy, smelling strongly of must. She needed clean air to push oxygen through her lungs. She would suffocate if they left her here. How much time had passed? Sakura couldn't tell if it had been a week or just a few hours. She wiggled her wrists, wincing against the pain as the rope chafed her skin. It was no use. She was stuck in discomfort until the drugs cleared her system. She hated admitting defeat, but at least if she closed her eyes she could linger in a state of temporary distraction.

She was just about to give in to the pull when a flash of white caught her peripheral. She squinted her eyes, trying to get them to focus as what appeared to be a white snake slithered across the earth-made floor and curled up in front of her feet.

A jolt of hope seized the rhythm of her heart when Sakura realized that the white creature before her wasn't an ordinary snake, but rather an ink-creature from Sai. She trained her eyes on the snake, watching as it unfurled and turned into a slip of paper with a note. Sakura leaned forward, straining against the bindings and read the note.

_Hold on Sakura-chan, we're coming for you. –Sai_

~/~

Kakashi had never been more relieved to see backup recruits from Konoha in all his life. Tenzo was the first to clasp Kakashi on his shoulder in greeting. Naruto hugged the silver-haired nin next and thumped him in the middle of the back hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. "You look like absolute shit, Kakashi-sensei."

"You haven't been sleeping, have you?" Hinata asked more kindly. Her slender eyebrows furrowed over her violet colored eyes in concern.

"I'm fine," Kakashi insisted, "you guys don't need to worry about me. It's good to see you."

"What is it with Team Seven and missions?" Naruto said. "Every time we're supposed to be assigned a simple task, something goes wrong and someone's life is put on the line."

"Just the luck of the draw I guess," Kakashi said. Further proof, he thought, that he was cursed.

"Well then it's a good thing I'm here to save the day." Naruto grinned wide enough that his eyes crinkled at the corners. He folded his hands behind his head, and Sasuke used the opening to punch him in the gut. "_Ooph_," Naruto huffed, rubbing his sore abdomen.

"No offense Naruto, but I believe Hinata is the one that's going to save the day," Sai said.

"Oh right," the golden-haired nin said, tapping the side of his temple. "Byakugan."

"So," Hinata asked, "where is this tunnel entrance?"

~/~

"Hello!" Sakura called loudly. She was still half-sedated but the drugs were beginning to clear from her system. "I know you can hear me." She waited a beat longer but no one answered her call. "I'll scream," she warned them. "I'm known as the crazy banshee woman in Konoha. Trust me–you do _not_ want to be on the receiving end of these vocal chords." She waited… "All right, can't say I didn't warn you." Sakura sucked in a lungful of air and dialed up the pitch in her raw throat as she began to scream at the top of her lungs. As a child, she'd been able to hold the note for ages, and often used it to get what she wanted. But Sakura was a grown woman now… To resort back to such childish methods was downright deprecating.

Her door banged open; the handle smacked into the wall and pieces of the earth fell to the floor. "Shut up already!" the guard barked at her. "Or I'll really give you something to scream about."

Sakura smirked at the beefy looking guard. He was tall as a tree and wide as a brick house, but he didn't frighten her. If she'd been at her peak strength, she could easily take him down. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"You can piss in your pants for all I care," the guard told her with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Please," Sakura murmured. "I-uh, I'm dealing with lady things." It was a lie, but she'd use whatever she could to her advantage. In her experience, it was the big burly looking men who caved first when it came to women and their feminine quirks.

The guard screwed up his face in disgust. He walked over slowly before bending to undo the bindings on her legs. He left her hands tied behind her back, pulling her up from the chair as a sharp jolt electrified her rigid spine and she gasped in pain.

"You know," she said, "I could really use some water."

"Yeah, and I could use a stiff drink." The guard grabbed her by the elbow and shoved her through the door quite roughly for someone who was operating under the influence of sedation. Sakura stumbled over her own ankles and nearly tripped as he led her down the torch-lit hallway.

"Nice place you have here," Sakura continued. "These tunnels must stretch for miles. I bet there's all sorts of space. Tell me, is it quite accommodating?"

"Thinking of moving in?" The guard snickered at her.

"I just wondered if everyone down here _enjoys_ living below ground is all." Sakura shrugged. "Seems to me like it would get depressing without fresh air and sunlight."

"We won't be living here much longer. Once we get Sai, we'll be on our way home."

"_Home_," Sakura repeated. "You're from Konoha?"

"My home is wherever Sumire-sama leads me," the guard said.

Sakura lifted a slender pink brow at his use of the suffix 'sama' but kept her eyes carefully trained on the ground as they walked. "Where did you come from?"

"Doesn't matter. My old village never thought I'd amount to anything. They flunked me out of the Academy–they abandoned me. Sumire saved me… she saw my potential and gave me purpose. I was the first to join her cause. As I previously stated, my home is wherever she leads me." The guard slowed as they approached another area with a line of wooden doors. "There's the bathroom, you've got five minutes."

"I'm still a little tied up here," Sakura said, gesturing with her bound hands. "Gonna be hard to pull my pants down with my wrists bound."

The guard's dark eyes narrowed into thin slits. He worked his jaw, staring at her as if she were no more than unwanted scum attached to the bottom of his shoe and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to wipe off.

"Oh come on," she said with her famous eye roll. "You actually think I'd be stupid enough to try and escape? I don't have the slightest clue where I am and I wouldn't risk endangering the lives of my comrades. On top of that, I have zero chakra right now."

"Five minutes," the guard repeated, jerking the rope as he freed her wrists. Sakura felt the inflamed, raw skin with her fingertips when he'd released her from the bindings. It would be a while before she could attempt to heal herself.

"It doesn't have to be this way you know," she said softly. "Sumire wants revenge for a lie that was told to her. It's easy to see she's in pain and I can't blame her for that, but Konoha never exiled her father… He fled after a member of the Uchiha clan killed Danzo because he knew he'd have to stand trial for his crimes. Everything he told Sumire was a lie." Sakura had a feeling that the ninja Sumire had collected were just a bunch of misunderstood individuals looking for a purpose in life. Sumire had given them one, and they were blindly following her. "There aren't enough of you to take on Konoha's forces."

"Maybe not, but we've been preparing for this since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War. We have the skillset needed to get the task done."

Sakura continued to stare up at the man, wishing there was something she could do or say that would put a stop to this senseless vendetta. Yes, she was a ninja, but that didn't mean she didn't want to try peace before bloodshed. "You'll die," Sakura said pointedly, keeping her tone even as she said it.

"You talk too much, Pinkie. You have four minutes now–I suggest you get a move on."

~/~

Kakashi had escorted his Konoha comrades through the gates of Suna and led them to the Kazekage's palace. After a short briefing with Gaara's councilmen, Gaara gave them permission to head to the desert entrance so Hinata could scan the underground tunnels with her Byakugan. He gave them all cloaks for protection against the desert elements and personally escorted them out into the desert alongside Temari and Kankuro.

Kakashi reached up, pressing the heels of his hands into his aching eyes, attempting to massage the soreness away. He was running on his third soldier pill, and already he could feel the effects of them starting to take toll. It was as if a lethal amount of caffeine was coursing through his veins, replacing the fluid in his body. Sakura was sure to scold him when she found out what he'd done, but he would welcome the verbal lashing. _Gods_, how he missed the sound of her voice. Other missions had required them to be apart for much longer time periods, but none of them had ever caused him to feel such desolation–such an aching deep within his soul.

"This is the place," Kankuro said, drawing Kakashi out of his mind as they reached the site of the desert entrance. "Sumire will be waiting for us here at nightfall."

"She'll be waiting for Kakashi and Sai," Gaara corrected. "Remember, the rest of us aren't to be seen."

"I'm totally going to catch her off-guard with shadow-clone-Sai." Naruto grinned until his eyes crinkled. He clapped his hands, rubbing them together like a mad scientist who was about to instruct his assistant to 'pull the lever.'

"We'll see about that." Hinata tapped into the power of her dojutsu, spindly veins pulling taut at the corners of her opalescent eyes as she focused on the ground.

"Do you see anything?" Gaara asked her. The auburn-haired nin laid his palm on her shoulder.

"The tunnel here is empty. We can follow this awhile above ground, and I'll see if I can find a common place or something where they are gathered." Hinata started running through the desert, and the others followed swiftly behind her. They ran for several miles before Hinata slowed to a jog, turning her head as she scanned the ground. "Here," Hinata whispered. "Several tunnels split off and start forming different paths."

"How many?" Sasuke asked. A vacant look claimed the obsidian color of his eyes, bringing the Anbu soldier to the foreground.

"Four," Hinata answered, pointing to each of them as she told the group which direction the tunnels led. "This one seems to be shorter and wider than the others. There are smaller sections dissecting the main tunnel, like rooms were built off of it."

"What about people," Kakashi asked, rubbing his hand anxiously over the back of his neck while his shoulders sagged. "Do you see any of them?"

Hinata walked on, using her Byakugan to see at a further distance and therefore preventing their enemies from being able to sense their chakra. "Yes," Hinata breathed out. "There are two signatures just about two-hundred yards away. One of them is Sakura."

An electrical jolt traveled down Kakashi's spine as his heart practically leaped into his throat. He swiped a hand over his mask, shifting his feet as he tried to compose himself. Sakura was alive and he was _so_ close to getting her back.

"There's another room not far from where they are," Hinata said. "There's probably about fifty or so people there."

"Fifty?" Naruto lifted a golden eyebrow. "That's it?"

Beside him, Sasuke snickered and crossed his arms over his chest in a bored manner. "Sumire plans on attacking Konoha with a total of fifty ninja and we've been running scared."

"There could be more," Hinata said. "These tunnels are quite impressive."

"I don't care if there are three-hundred men down there, we can take them. She's been playing a game that we've foolishly bought into because she was trained by the best manipulative mastermind of our time," Sasuke said. "This whole thing has been a clever deception. She purposely led us to believe that her army was massive just to get us where she wanted us. It's all been a ploy."

"Thirty of her men tried to kill Naruto just to capture Sai," Hinata reminded them. "She _is_ dangerous and should be treated as such, regardless of the number of her forces."

"Let's not forget who led the Black Ops team and wiped out those thirty men," Sasuke retorted. "My squad isn't far behind. I can summon them to help us."

"I will gladly hand myself over if it will prevent further bloodshed," Sai said. "That is still the plan, is it not?" The dark-haired nin looked up at Kakashi for confirmation.

Kakashi could feel the erratic rhythm of his heart and could focus on nothing else. Sakura was so close… There was a plan in place, he knew, but he was finding it difficult to think rationally. What he wanted was to smash through the earth and go after the woman he loved–plan or no plan.

"The original plan," Gaara began, "was a contingency plan. Sakura was meant to gather Intel on Sumire's army so that when it came time to make the exchange we knew what we would be up against," Gaara paused. "However, if Hinata-san says their numbers are small, then perhaps there is no need to wait. We have an advantage this way–she won't be expecting us."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest as one corner of his mouth pinched. "What about _my_ plan? Sending Sai in as a shadow clone will work, I just know it!"

"Naruto, I don't think we have need of that," Gaara said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It was a good idea, but, we've got the Byakugan."

"Right." Naruto narrowed his eyes and tried not to pout. Hinata shrugged and shot him a look of sympathy.

"You're not going anywhere," Temari said to Gaara. "You're the Kazekage. Your people need you. Going down in the tunnels is an unnecessary risk. We can handle this."

Sasuke snickered. "You three are the most stubborn-assed ninja I've ever met, and I had Naruto and Sakura on my team."

"No arguing with that." Kankuro shrugged.

"Sai," Gaara said, ignoring them all, "do you think you can send two of your birds to my forces guarding the other entrances? Let them know that we're going in, and maybe get a note to Sakura to let her know the plan has changed."

"Of course," Sai said, bowing respectfully.

"Sasuke, call your backup squad. Kill if you must, but I prefer to get Sakura and get out. We'll deal with Sumire and her army later." Gaara nodded once. "Let's move."

~/~

After Sakura exited the bathroom, her guard hit her with yet another dose of sedatives. This one didn't seem to possess hallucinating traits, which Sakura was grateful for, but she was getting damn tired of being strapped to a chair. She remembered the conversation that she and Kakashi shared right before she marched off into the Suna desert to trade herself for Temari. He told her that if he could bind her to a chair and prevent her from going he would… Ironic that her captive state ended up (in a roundabout way) fulfilling his wishes.

Sakura's eyelids fluttered as her head lulled against her shoulders. She didn't want to sleep; she was so tired of sleeping and losing track of time, but she couldn't fight against the drugs without chakra… Just as her head fell forward against her chest, Sakura heard a loud, earth-shattering boom. The earth-made walls shook around her, dust and debris falling from the ceiling. There was commotion outside her doors; people were on the move, and she could hear an array of voices as orders were barked out.

_Was there an earthquake_? Her head rolled against her shoulder as she strained to see the shadows dancing under her doorway; movement flickered in the glow of the torchlights. The familiar, sharp sound of weapons clashing rang in Sakura's ears. She thought she saw the light shift from amber to electric-blue. Her door was pulled from its hinges, and the man standing in the doorway was backlit by the lightning glow of his Chidori. Even without it, she'd know the shape of his silhouette anywhere. Seeing him filled her chest with warmth and her core with absolute relief. She tried to smile, but her muscles were no longer under her control.

"Ka-Ka-Shi…" she breathed his name in broken parts. In an instant he was kneeling in front of her, rough fingertips sliding over the curve of her cheek until they slipped through her hair, supporting the weight of her head at her nape.

"Sakura, can you hear me?" His hitai-ate was pushed up on his forehead so Sakura could see both his mismatched eyes. Even in the dim lighting, Sakura could see that his eyes were bloodshot and underscored by dark shadows. His brows contorted heavily, creasing the space between them as he examined her.

Sakura nodded. "Y-You shouldn't… be here."

"I'm going to get you out of here," Kakashi told her. "You're going to be all right. I just need you to hold on a little longer."

"'Kay," she murmured as Kakashi began undoing her bindings. She relaxed as his familiar scent tangled through her nostrils, and slumped forward when her hands were free from their bonds. Her head hit his shoulder as he scooped her up from the chair, and her legs dangled over his arms as he cradled her listless body against his chest. Sakura closed her eyes as her face nuzzled in the crook of his neck, her lips brushing against the outer edges of his mask.

There was still so much going on around her–voices that were shouting, dust and debris that continued to fall from the ceiling and surround them in a plume of smoke. Sakura vaguely thought she heard Naruto's voice in the mix as Kakashi ran out into the hallway. She opened her eyes, watching as he threw a shuriken that buried itself in the dead-center of an enemy nin's spine. The man hit his knees and collapsed to the ground as Kakashi tossed a kunai to Sasuke, who after catching it, plunged the blade into another's neck. Sakura could see the spray of blood from the man's carotid, watched as it peppered one half of Sasuke's face.

Kakashi drew his sword from the holster on his back, blocking an attack as a man rushed at them full force with a curved blade that gleamed in the torchlight. Sakura felt the vibration of the metal rattling her bones, but she was useless to do anything to help. She was a hindrance, and she couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Kakashi or her friends because of her. "Put me down," she managed to choke out against Kakashi's neck.

"No chance in hell," Kakashi grunted as he plunged his blade into their attacker's belly.

Tenzo appeared at their side and a wooden wall sprung up from the ground, blocking their enemies from advancing. "I'll hold them off, the rest of you need to get above ground, _now_," he commanded.

"Let's go!" Naruto yelled behind them and the rest of their comrades came running from the shadows.

"Did you find Sumire?" Kakashi asked as the group jumped from the tunnels and landed on top of the desert floor.

"No," Naruto replied. "But we'll get her next time."

_Next time_, Sakura thought dismally_. Gods_, how she just wanted this nightmare to end. She wanted to be at home in Konoha, doing mundane shifts at the hospital that she would never complain about so long as she lived. She wanted to curl up on her couch with a good book and a hot cup of tea, and fall asleep with her head on Kakashi's shoulder. She wanted to tell him how she felt about him–to never let him out of her sight… But they were ninja, and no such luxuries were permitted to those who chose to serve their country. Not for long, anyway.

Sakura couldn't fight against the pull of the sedatives in her system any longer. She couldn't even lift her arms to tighten them around Kakashi's neck. Her mind blocked out the sound of her companions walking beside her, and soon Sakura was lured into sleep by the gentle sway of Kakashi's embrace. For now, they were all safe, and she could take comfort in that.

~/~

Sakura awoke to the sound of mechanical beeping and bright light that bled through the backs of her eyelids. She tried to move, but there was a heavy weight against her chest, pinning her in place against soft fabric. A familiar scent hit her then, and she blinked her eyelids to the bright lights of her hospital room and looked down to find that a thick head of silver hair was resting on her chest. Kakashi was lying alongside her body with his long legs hanging off the end of her bed. His right arm was draped across her waist, his knee slightly bent to rest over her shin.

A weight seemed to lift from Sakura's shoulders as her eyes burned hot with tears. She fished her fingers through the silken strands of Kakashi's unruly hair, sniffling back the wave of raw emotion that shook her at his sight. He was here with her, _and he was in her arms_. Sakura tilted her head back on the pillows, thanking whatever gods were listening, and traced Kakashi's visible eyebrow with the edge of her thumb. He was out cold, breathing deeply and evenly as Sakura continued to stroke what was visible of his face. He was still wearing his gear, though his flak jacket and hitai-ate were draped over the back of a chair beside her bed.

Another scan around the room told her that they weren't alone. Sakura spotted Hinata curled up on a small couch, a blanket was draped over her lap and she held a steaming mug between her hands. "H-Hinata," Sakura said in a startled tone. She looked down at the sleeping nin and the small bed in which the pair occupied and then glanced sheepishly back at Hinata. Sakura could feel color burning in her cheeks, but her onyx-haired friend only smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Sakura. I won't tell a soul." She grinned even bigger. "I've been keeping the others out of your room so they wouldn't see… Not to say that you'd be embarrassed or anything, I just figured you would want to tell people in your own time. You know… if there's something going on between you and Kakashi. I mean… there is something going on, right?"

Sakura giggled, shaking her head in disbelief as her fingers raked another path through Kakashi's hair. "We haven't talked about it yet," Sakura told her friend. "Kakashi isn't exactly a natural when it comes to verbal discussions."

"I've noticed." Hinata pressed her mouth together in a closed-lip smile. "Though in his case, actions speak louder than words… He hasn't left your side since you were admitted. Gaara even tried to have one of his assistants wheel in a spare bed, but Kakashi refused to take it. Apparently, he hasn't slept a wink since you've been gone and was using soldier pills to keep himself energized. I guess he finally crashed."

Sakura sighed heavily, though she couldn't say she was surprised. "How long have I been out?"

"Sixteen hours," Hinata said. "I figured it would be good for you to have a friend around when you woke up, and considering Kakashi is out like a light, I figured you'd probably prefer that friend to be me."

"Thank you," Sakura said. "I can't imagine what the boys would think if they saw this… Not that I care, but, I would like to talk to Kakashi about _this_ before it becomes public knowledge."

"I will admit I was surprised at first… but then I started thinking about everything you two have been through together, and it just sort of makes sense. I can't think of anyone more perfect for you."

Sakura smiled, gazing down at the man beside her. "He's all I want, Hinata… Maybe that's crazy, but, he's… _everything_ to me."

"Ah," Hinata said, giggling a little. "You're already in love with him."

Sakura wasn't going to deny it. She trusted Hinata to keep her secret, and it felt good to finally share with someone in her inner circle just how much she cared for Kakashi and to have their approval–not that it would sway her feelings one way or another, but it was a comfort to know at least one of her friends understood what he meant to her.

"So," Hinata continued after a beat, "have you seen him without the mask?"

A fresh wave of color stained Sakura's cheeks. "Let's just say I'd be fighting off a lot more than just enemy nin if Kakashi ever decided he wasn't going to keep his face covered… He's incredibly sexy."

Hinata stifled a giggle with her hand. "Well, consider me jealous then."

"How long has he been like this?" Sakura asked. Her leg was numb from where his knee was pressing into hers, but she wasn't about to move. Sakura didn't want to have any part of him drawn away from her.

"I'd say probably about ten hours or so. He was so worried about you. He wouldn't even sit down until the doctors said your vitals were climbing back to a normal level. You were really dehydrated."

Sakura nodded. "What happened in the tunnels? I know our friends made it out safe, but what about Sumire's army?"

"Well," Hinata said, placing her mug on the little wooden stand beside the couch, "they're basically nonexistent now. Naruto and Sasuke were able to take Sumire and a few of her right-hand men captive. They're being held at the palace. Gaara wanted to talk with you before they hand out a sentence since technically, Sumire is a Konoha fugitive."

Sakura nodded, dragging her teeth across the cracked skin of her bottom lip. "She's so young and terribly misguided," Sakura said. "She broke a lot of laws. She'll have to answer for them."

"Funny…" Hinata commented. "You don't sound too happy about that."

"I'd be lying if I said her situation didn't sadden me," Sakura told her friend. "She's lost everything that ever meant anything to her and she blames Konoha. Her actions were wrong but they were made out of anger and pain." Sakura was looking at Kakashi as she said all this, stroking his hair as her chest welled with tightness. "Maybe she deserves a second chance."

Hinata was quiet for a moment before responding, "Maybe." She rose from the couch, stretching her arms above her head as she yawned. "I'll go find a doctor and tell Gaara you're awake. I won't be particularly fast about it either," Hinata grinned, "I figure you could use a little alone time with Kakashi."

"Thank you, Hinata, and for what it's worth… I'm glad you were here when I woke up." Sakura grinned at her friend.

Hinata nodded, bowing slightly before letting herself out of the room, and softly closing the door behind her.

"So," Kakashi said in a deep tone that was groggy from sleep, "you think I'm sexy, do you?"

Sakura's lips pulled wide at the corners, fingers still intent on their path through the strands of Kakashi's hair. She'd known he'd been awake for a while now, listening to her and Hinata's conversation. "You're simply unbelievable, Hatake Kakashi," Sakura said at the turn of an eye roll she knew he couldn't see.

"How so?"

"Feigning sleep to spy on a woman's conversation–that's low, even for you," she teased him.

"You didn't answer my question," he persisted.

"Yes, Kakashi-kun, I think you're sexy."

Kakashi shifted, drawing up on his elbows as he hovered above her face, fingertips tracing the length of her jaw. He didn't have to say anything. Sakura could see the emotions swirling in his one visible eye as he looked at her. Maybe words would never come easy for him, but Sakura didn't care. She could read him like an open book when to others he was just a mystery hidden behind a mask. She knew the real him, just as he knew the real her.

Kakashi reached up to pull the mask down, and pressed his mouth to hers in confirmation. The kiss was sweet and tender, just the start of something great, Sakura thought as he drew away, lightly resting his forehead on hers. And just when she thought the moment couldn't get any more perfect, Kakashi whispered, "I'm never letting you go, Sakura-chan."

* * *

***HEARTS***

**Can I just say that I love this mythical universe of make-believe. I mean, writing Kakashi as a total badass, saving Sakura and fighting off enemy ninja ONE-HANDED was just a blast to create. I adore building their relationship.**

**As always, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!**

**Stay tuned for more to come!**

**~Sparrow**


	12. The Art of a Slow Burn

Chapter Twelve

The Art of a Slow Burn

* * *

Kakashi traced over the pale pink burn marks on Sakura's wrists from where her hands had been bound together. His touch was feather-light, like a cool whisper skating across her skin. Sakura still hadn't returned to full strength, and Suna's healers suggested she recuperate in full before attempting to use medical jutsu. Being a medic, she of course knew all this, but those who worked in the medical field were often times the _worst_ patients.

"How much longer before I'm released?" Sakura asked the aid who had come in to check her medical file. Suna's aids were nothing if not diligent in checking their charts. Too bad that was all they seemed to be diligent with…

"The doctor will be in shortly," The aid responded. She smiled before closing the door behind her. Sakura sighed, dropping her head to roll her neck from side to side.

"Hey," Kakashi said softly, "just relax Sakura, you'll be out of here before you know it." His strong hands rolled over her shoulders, gripping firmly as if to get her to look at him. When he had her attention, he lifted his hand, thumb touching the tender bruise on the side of her face from where the guard in the tunnels had backhanded her. Sakura watched a dark shadow pass behind Kakashi's one visible eye, and imagined his jaw clenching behind the mask.

"I've been relaxing," she responded. "I may not be at my full strength, but I'm strong enough. I want to know what's happening with Sumire. I need to talk to Gaara."

"She's not going anywhere," Kakashi stated. "You'll talk to Gaara soon enough."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you just go–I dunno–get him for me so we can get the ball rolling?"

"You're being obstinate."

"Yeah well obstinate is my middle name," she retorted. She rose up from the bed, scratching the spot on her arm where the tape from her IV bandage was pulling at her skin. She paced in front of the window, staring at the desert below her–desperately missing the green of Konoha's Fire Country.

Kakashi's hands curled around her arms as he drew her back against his chest. She was small enough so that his chin rested on the top of her head if he slouched a little. She liked that. As a result of that liking, an involuntary smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she turned herself around in his arms, looping hers around his waist. "Distract me, Kakashi."

Kakashi lifted a single silver eyebrow at her request. "Just to be clear, what kind of distraction are you looking for?"

Her hands traveled up his sides, over the hard muscled planes of his lats before sliding up to rest on his chest. Kakashi folded both her hands in one of his, and found purchase on the small of her back with his other. "Still need a hint?" Sakura taunted him, pushing up on the tips of her toes.

"Sakura…" His tone was raw as he said her name, and Sakura could hear the wanting in his voice. It sent a zing down her spine as warmth pooled in her belly. Kakashi stroked a single path over the back of her hand with his thumb, released her hands and yanked his mask down before claiming her mouth with his.

The impact bowed her spine; Sakura looped her arms around Kakashi's neck as his arms circled her waist and pinned her body against his. She closed her eyes as his mouth parted over hers, and she inhaled the scent of him. She savored the taste of his lips, daring to trace the curve of his bottom lip with her tongue.

A low moan caught in the back of Kakashi's throat, and that single, delicious sound made her ache in a way that she'd never known.

She wanted him.

And if the firmness pressing against her thigh was any indication of his desires–then Kakashi wanted her too.

"We should probably–" Sakura panted, not wanting to stop but knowing now was not the time or place to act on those desires.

Kakashi nodded, dropping his head to the side of her face as his hands anchored her waist. She could still _feel_ him, and she had never been so glad that Kakashi's hands were fixated to her sides because if he decided to let go she was sure she'd melt into a puddle of goo at his feet.

A knock at the door startled her. She jumped a little, shaking her head to clear the fog as Kakashi pulled up his mask and turned her body so that her back was aligned with his chest. She bit her lip to keep from smiling because she was all too aware that Kakashi was using her as a shield to hide certain things that just weren't meant for the whole world to see. She loved that she was evoking this response in him–loved that her body was responding in similar ways.

The revelation was liquid excitement running through her veins, and she fought to compose herself as she called, "Come in."

Much to Sakura's relief, (and flushed skin) it was only Hinata. The dark-haired girl's eyebrows nearly disappeared in her hairline. "Ooh," she cooed, "is it guilty in here, or is it just me?"

Sakura giggled, stifling the sound with her palm as Kakashi cleared his throat behind her. "Please tell me you come bearing good tidings–like perhaps the gift of my release papers?" Sakura flexed her fingers like she was itching to get her hands on the goods.

Hinata smiled. "Gaara has handled that and sent me to escort the two of you back to the palace. He's called a meeting–though if I were you, I'd probably change first."

Sakura looked down, smoothing her hands over the hideous pale-green polka-dotted hospital gown they'd put her in. "Right," Sakura said, her tongue snapping on the 'T'. "How much time do I have?" She really wanted to take a shower. It had been the longer part of three days–four if you counted her sixteen-hour sleeping bout, and Sakura was dying to get her hands on a bar of soap and scrub the layers of tunnel grime off her skin.

"The meeting starts in an hour," Hinata answered.

"Great, let's get out of here."

Kakashi picked up his flak jacket from the back of the chair and held it open for her to shrug into. "I don't know what they did with your clothes when they admitted you," he told her. "I figure this is better than nothing."

"Thank you," Sakura said with a smile blossoming on her lips. The weight of the flak jacket was familiar to her, but Kakashi's hung past her hips like a small cape, and smelled faintly of the earth mixed with the aftershave he used. She perched herself on the end of a chair and slipped into her boots. When she stood, she swayed–just a little, but it was enough to elicit Kakashi's steady hand in the middle of her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," she answered, "just a little dizzy."

Kakashi left his hand in the middle of her back, sticking close to her side as they exited the hospital with Hinata walking a few paces ahead of them. The sun was high in the sky, beaming down with unforgiving rays as they made their trek to the palace. Inside the walls of Suna, the streets were filled with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the smell of cooking food filled the air. Sakura smiled at a small child who was holding the hand of her mother as they walked down the sidewalk. The child was holding a red lollipop in her free hand, grinning back at Sakura with sticky lips. _That's why I do what I do_, Sakura thought. _So that people can live safe and free and know they're being protected_. _That is why I am a ninja_.

Hinata walked with them through the palace, but paused outside the council-room doors. "I'll go let them know you're back so you can have a moment to clean up before getting attacked with questions and bone-crushing-Naruto-hugs." Hinata grinned.

"Thanks Hinata. We'll see you soon." Sakura and Kakashi continued on down the hall to their guest rooms. Since she'd left her key in the room before agreeing to trade herself for Temari, Kakashi let them in through his. A burst of frigid air hit her as she walked into his room, and a shiver traveled the length of her spine.

"It's really cold in here," she commented, crossing her arms over her chest as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the bureau mirror. Her pink hair was a ratty nest of tangles, her skin still a little pallid from near dehydration.

"Sorry about that," Kakashi said, "I cranked it up to help me stay awake."

"I wish you wouldn't have done that," Sakura's tone lost its lightheartedness.

"Sakura…" Kakashi began, raking his fingers through his thick mane of hair, "you have to understand what your leaving did to me."

Sakura was unable to meet his eyes. She trailed a fingertip across the slick surface of the dresser as she slowly walked towards him. "I had to do it," she said softly. "You know it was the right thing under the circumstances."

Kakashi stepped into her path, drawing her chin up to meet his gaze. "I'm not arguing that, Sakura. You're a brave and determined woman and you always put what's best for everyone ahead of your own needs. That's what makes you a good soldier."

Sakura's heart fluttered with his compliments. Kakashi had said things of this nature before, but never with such pride in his tone. She wanted him to be proud of her–_hell_, he was half responsible for instilling the belief system she prided herself on as a ninja.

"But," Kakashi said, stepping closer still, "it's okay to be selfish once in a while."

Sakura all but snorted. "That's rich, coming from the man who doesn't have a selfish bone in his body."

"I can be selfish," Kakashi said. He pulled Sakura into his arms and tightened his hold until Sakura felt like she couldn't breathe. She didn't mind though. "With you, I can be selfish." He loosened his grip just enough to let her draw a breath.

Sakura managed to slide her arms up so that her forearms and palms were pressed against his torso and chest. "What exactly does that mean, Kakashi?"

"What do you want it to mean?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Haven't I expressed my disliking of answering questions with other questions in the recent past? I'm serious Kakashi. I want to know what you're thinking since you so rarely feel inclined to share." His eyes creased at the corners, and Sakura knew he was grinning. She wiggled her arms a little more, reaching up to tug on the edges of his confounded mask so she could see the expressions hidden beneath.

"It means," Kakashi said, not missing a beat, "that I don't want to be separated from you. We've always had each other, Sakura, that's not going to change, but some things…" He trailed off, sliding a hand up her spine until his fingers slipped through the strands of her hair.

"Some things what?" she rasped.

"Some things will change." He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers and squeezed. "I want this, Sakura." He gestured to their linked hands. "I said I wasn't letting you go and I meant it."

Sakura swallowed. She tried to take a step back but Kakashi only followed, bringing their linked hands to his chest and stroked the back of her knuckles with his thumb. She said, "I want this, too."

Kakashi grinned, cupping her cheek with his palm as he pressed his lips to hers tenderly. "We should get ready," Kakashi said, glancing over her head to the clock on the nightstand. "Meeting commences in twenty."

"Right," Sakura said, looking down once more at her garb, "I need that shower." Reluctantly, Sakura stepped out of Kakashi's embrace and heaved a sigh. There was a part of her that wanted to over-analyze their conversation, tear it to pieces and examine the information under a microscope. There was still so much left unsaid… but at least she knew that he wanted her. They were more than just friends–more than just teammates. Their relationship didn't need a verbal label slapped on it right away. It was new and they were still discovering little privileges that weren't granted to those other titles. Besides, Sakura wanted to keep him all to herself for just a little while… the world could wait on titles.

She palmed the door handle to her adjoining room, feeling the cool metal beneath her hand and paused. "Kakashi…" she began, "I don't suppose you'd want to join me?" She felt her heart slam behind her rib cage in anticipation for his response.

He chuckled a little, low and gravely, and Sakura felt her heart drop clear to the soles of her feet. "Sakura," he said, low against her ear as his palm slid over the round of her shoulder. "As much as I would enjoy ravishing you in the shower, I don't want our first time together to be rushed. I mean to make slow, careful work of having you." His arm circled her waist, fingertips spanning the width of her stomach as Sakura gasped quietly. "I mean to do right by you."

_Gods_, she was so infatuated with his man. He'd stolen her breath with a few words and a caress that set her blood on fire. "You know," she breathed, licking her bottom lip, "you're pretty good at words when you set your mind to them."

Kakashi chuckled, nuzzling the back of her hair with his nose. "Go shower." He kissed the back of her head, and gently swatted her behind to get her moving.

_Damn council meeting_, Sakura thought as she slipped through her adjoining door.

~/~

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto wrapped his arms around her middle, pinning her arms against her sides as he crushed her to his chest in a bear-hug. Her feet lifted off the floor, and it was all Sakura could do just to keep breathing.

"Take it easy Naruto, she's not at full strength yet," Kakashi warned him.

"Oh, sorry." The golden-haired nin smiled in apology as he put Sakura back on her feet. "Just promise me something," he said. "Don't ever do something like that without consulting the entirety of your team first. We know you're brave and fierce and all that, but still."

Sakura grinned, rubbing at her arm as she looked up at her companion. "Yeah, I sort of already got that speech from Kakashi."

"You probably need to hear it a few times for it to sink into your thick skull." Naruto lightly flicked her between the eyes.

"Touch me again and I will grind your bones to dust as soon as I get my strength back," Sakura spouted for old-time's sake. Her threat didn't quite land the same affect when she was smiling, but it was the incentive that counted.

Sasuke walked into the council room, nodding to acknowledge her before taking a seat at the round table where a few of Gaara's advisors were already seated. The last time she'd seen him, half his face was covered in another man's blood. Seeing Sasuke in battle came with a myriad of memories that haunted Sakura's mind, but she was still trying to change the way she saw him. Deep down she knew that he had come to help save her, even if he wasn't well versed at showing it–Sakura knew he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

The doors opened up on the opposite side of the room, and Gaara walked in, flanked by Temari and a grinning Kankuro. Everyone greeted one another, and took turns hugging and thanking Sakura for what she had done.

"No thanks required," Sakura told them, clinging to Temari's arm as the blond embraced her. "The only thing I cared about was making sure my friends and comrades remained safe, and thank the gods they have."

The ninja sank into the chairs around the table, and Kakashi made sure to stick close to Sakura's side. Gaara made a formal address for the sake of the council, and explained how a team had gone back into the tunnels after Sakura's rescue to apprehend the remaining rogues. Sumire and a few of her men were being held beneath the palace in chakra-restricting prison cells. As for the civilians that were living in the tunnels–they were being escorted to Cloud for refuge and rehabilitation.

"Sakura," Gaara said, "what did you learn about Sumire's motives for capturing Sai?"

Sai was sitting to Sakura's left; she reached over, cupping the back of his hand with hers. "Sumire was told that Sai was being held captive in Konoha. Her father's last wishes were for her to bring him back so he could be with his people."

"Captive?" Sai furrowed his brows in a confused frown. "She thinks I was in Konoha against my will?"

Sakura nodded. "That's what her father believed, and that's what he told her. Shigaraki Tanuki told her that he had been exiled from Konoha, and Fire Country was to blame for the state in which they were forced to live. He raised her to believe that Konoha was the enemy. She watched her mother die from failing health and then watched her father kill himself…" Sakura paused, looking down at her hands folded on the table. "Please keep in mind that Root teaches one how to act without emotion… but, Sumire's quest for vengeance wasn't made without _feeling_. What she did was wrong, but, every decision she made has been from pain."

The room was quiet for several seconds before Gaara spoke. "And what about her followers–were their actions also made in pain?"

Sakura shook her head slowly. "No. Sumire saved those people from different circumstances and gave them purpose. They followed her because she believed in them. Most of them were already rogues and outlaws."

"Laws were broken," Gaara reminded her. "They must be punished for their crimes."

"I don't disagree with you Kazekage-sama," Sakura said. "Sumire is still a child… With all due respect, you of all people know what it means to have a second chance. Sai is also living proof that one can reform from the ways of Root."

Sai nodded. "I could help her."

"You'd be willing to do that?" Gaara asked.

"Being a part of Team Seven has taught me what it means to have friends and… family." Sai crinkled his eyes in a small smile. "I know what Sumire is going through. I think I can help her see the light–just like Team Seven showed me."

Gaara drew a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he looked at Temari. "Suna would consent to releasing Sumire into Konoha's custody on account that she serves her community. We won't press charges, but, considering the extent of what she has done, I feel it's appropriate to ban her from ever returning to Suna."

"That's more than fair," Sakura said, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Gaara-sama."

"No thanks required." Gaara winked, using Sakura's previously stated words. "Perhaps next time you can come to Suna on non-ninja-related business."

"We'd like that." Sakura grinned.

~/~

The group wrapped up the official council meeting shortly after, and some of the ninja met for a late lunch within the village. It was nice to catch up with everyone now that business had been taken care of, and Konoha's ninja were set to depart first thing in the morning with Sumire. Sakura was relieved to finally be going home, but she couldn't help but to feel a little disappointed that it wouldn't be just she and Kakashi heading out on the return journey. _Yes_, she was grateful that their friends had come to their aid, and _yes_, technically the hard part of their mission was completed, but it still wasn't over. As much as she wanted all the alone time in the world with Kakashi, Sakura knew she still had to keep her head in the game.

Tenzo and Sai had opted out of lunch and decided to take a look at Gaara's weapon shop; so naturally, Naruto got to choose where the remaining nin would eat. It took him all of ten seconds to locate a ramen shop. Sakura could swear his nose was programmed with ramen-smelling GPS. The group ordered and took their meals to the outdoor patio where they sat beneath the shade of a big umbrella. With the breeze, the dry desert heat was almost tolerable.

"You know," Naruto said, twirling his chopsticks through a large helping of ramen and miso, "I still think the shadow clone idea would have been perfect."

"Give it a rest Naruto." Sasuke sighed in a tired-sounding tone.

"At least I got to use _my_ shadow clones down in the tunnels," the golden-haired nin said despondently. "It was pretty epic."

"Would you stop pouting if I bought you an ice cream cone?" Hinata offered. She was smiling in effort to keep things lighthearted, but Sakura could see the palest of pinks staining the blades of her cheekbones.

"There's a cart just a few blocks that way." Temari pointed to their left. "Best soft-serve ice cream in all of Wind. You won't be disappointed."

"Well," Naruto exhaled, "I guess some ice cream would be kind of nice."

"Then it's settled." Hinata rose from her chair, smoothing the fabric of her new yukata (Sakura had noticed the design native to Wind Country) and offered her hand out to the clueless Naruto. "Come on, I'll buy."

Naruto grinned, scooting back from the table as he pushed to his feet with Hinata's help. "Anyone else want to join us?"

"I could probably go for some–" Kankuro never got to finish his sentence because Sakura had kicked him under the table–rather hard, she might add–in the shin. "–_Ooph_."

"What was that Kankuro?"

"Oh nothing. Stomach is kind of upset now that I think about it." The dark-haired nin made a show of rubbing his stomach, grimacing in pain. "You two have fun."

"All right. Catch you guys later."

Naruto and Hinata were out of hearing range when Kankuro bent down to rub his bruising shin. "Just so you know, that hurt like a mother."

"Sorry," Sakura grinned sweetly, "I must be getting my strength back."

"What was that for anyway?"

"Hinata obviously wanted a little alone time with Naruto, dumbass." Temari smacked her brother upside the back of his head.

"She could have just said so," Kankuro said as he continued to rub his shin. "Why do women insist on being so secretive? You think you're being obvious, but trust me, none of us have a clue what you're thinking unless you just say it."

Kakashi chuckled. Sakura glanced over at his empty bowl of miso and eggplant. It was still a mystery how the man managed to devour an entire meal without a single person noticing the slip of his mask. Seriously… eating that fast could not be good for one's digestive system.

"You disagree, Hatake?"

"Well," Kakashi began, "I think it depends on the person. It may be true that some women are subtle in flirtation, while others have no problem being open. Men just need to practice being more observant. The signs are there if you know how to read them."

Sakura was surprised to hear him say that, and failed to hide the smile that tugged the outer corners of her mouth upward. She touched her water glass, tracing the condensation around the rim with an index finger as she glanced at him from the side.

"Did you learn that from your porno novels?" Kankuro snickered, meaning to take a jab at Kakashi in good-natured camaraderie.

"You'd be surprised the things I've learned." Kakashi's hand found its way onto Sakura's thigh underneath the table. His fingertips, feather-light against her skin, slid towards her inner thigh, teasing the edges of her shorts.

A wild tingling sensation burst through her insides, making her gasp. She nearly knocked her water glass over and reached out with both hands to steady it.

"Take it easy there, Sakura." Temari grinned at her from across the table.

"Sorry, I think it's probably just the desert heat getting to me." She looked at Kakashi, clamping her hand down on top of his beneath the table. "Do you want to get some ice cream?"

"I'd be delighted." Kakashi's eyes creased in a smile she now could picture in her mind and it sent another wave of butterflies skirting through her insides.

"Great." Sakura dropped her napkin on her empty bowl and pushed up from the table as Kakashi's hand fell away from her thigh.

Kankuro looked up at the two ninja, furrowing his brow. "What, the rest of us don't get an invitation?"

"Nope." Sakura grinned at the nin, who's lips were slowly starting to part in confusion.

"Wait a second… is this one of those subtle flirtation things? Because I _so_ did not see that coming." Kankuro sat back in his chair, swiping his hand across his mouth.

Temari laughed. "For the love of the gods, you really are clueless."

"Trust me," Sakura said, linking her arm through Kakashi's at the elbow, "I'm not trying to be subtle."

Sakura couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw Kankuro's jaw hit the table as they walked down the sidewalk. She giggled, hugging herself tightly to Kakashi's side and looked up at the masked-nin walking beside her. She couldn't believe that she had just done that in front of her friends–and _Sasuke_ to boot. She waited for shame to hit her like smacking face-first into a brick wall, but it didn't.

"Getting a little bold aren't we," Kakashi teased her as they walked on.

"Maybe," she answered playfully. "I had a feeling Temari already knew, and it's really just fun to torment Kankuro. I enjoy his vast arsenal of facial expressions."

"You probably broke his heart."

Sakura snorted. "Oh please. Kankuro is a hopeless flirt, but he's harmless. He's never really liked me that way." The dry desert breeze lifted her hair back from her face, and Sakura glanced up to watch it ruffle the strands of Kakashi's hair as they approached the ice cream cart. One look around confirmed that Naruto and Hinata were nowhere in sight, and Sakura wondered where the clever kunoichi had dragged him off to for a little one-on-one time.

"Hello, what can I get you?" the man behind the cart asked. He was a plump individual with a long black beard and thick, pudgy fingers.

"Two chocolate and vanilla swirls, please," Kakashi answered. He'd memorized her order a long time ago. He pushed his hand into the pocket of his pants and came up with a handful of lint, a small shuriken, and sparing change.

Sakura rolled her eyes and plucked the shuriken from his palm. "Seriously, Kakashi? You have a weapon pouch for a reason." She unzipped the pouch and tucked the weapon inside before zipping it back in place. Kakashi said nothing as he handed over an ice cream cone. "Thank you," she said, linking her arm through his as they continued down the sidewalk.

Kakashi led them out of the public square, down a narrow alley where a red-brick wall lined the back half of a building. It was a small wall, and Sakura managed to climb it with one hand while Kakashi stood in front of her, palms flat on the brick on either side of her thighs. A view of the desert greeted her back, but Sakura was tired of looking at it. Besides, there was nothing more fascinating than the man standing before her.

"You finished your ice cream already?"

Kakashi nodded, reaching up to smooth a lock of hair that had blown across Sakura's eyes. "So, should we talk about Sasuke?"

Sakura would have choked on her ice cream had it been a solid object. Still, she felt it sticking to the sides of her throat like frozen molasses as it went down. "What about him?"

"Sakura," Kakashi began, tipping his head slightly, "considering your history with him, I feel that your display of… _flirtation_," he paused to look into her eyes as he lingered on the word, "probably wasn't the best way to let him know that you and I are seeing one another."

"Why not?" Anger flared in her tone, but she noticed it didn't faze Kakashi the least bit.

"Because he still cares for you, regardless of how he does or doesn't show it. As a friend, I think he deserves to hear the truth from you in a way that makes it sound less like you're rubbing it in his face."

"I wasn't rubbing anything in his face," Sakura said. "He and I have been cordial to one another, but I wouldn't exactly say we're friends."

"Sakura…" Kakashi just stared at her, gunmetal eye fixated on her face. "Don't kid yourself."

Oh, she _hated_ when he did this. He didn't need any special abilities linked to a dojutsu to see right through her, and it infuriated her in such a way that she didn't know if she wanted to kick him in the nuts, or kiss him until her brain exploded.

"Talk to him," Kakashi encouraged, lightly touching her chin, "for me."

Sakura nodded stiffly.

"Don't pout, Sakura-chan." He reached up to tug his mask down, and leaned in to kiss her once on the lips.

"You're not ashamed to be with me, are you?" She hated to ask, but doubt was a vindictive little monster that crept in from time to time and tried to sabotage her.

"I'm not ashamed." Kakashi leaned in, dragging the bridge of his perfect nose along the underside of her jaw and pressing little tantalizing kisses to her throat. "I'll profess it from the rooftops if you should request it of me." He lingered beneath the corner of her jaw, teeth nipping at the tender skin protecting her carotid.

Sakura ran her palms along his arms, pulling him closer to her until her mouth was against his ear. "Profess what?" she whispered.

Kakashi lifted her chin to meet his gaze, lips tilting in a crooked smile that made her knees weak. "That you're mine." He kissed her then, slowly and deeply, removing any lingering doubt that plagued Sakura's subconscious thoughts. Kakashi was hers, and she dared to dream of words like "forever."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed wading through that huge puddle of sap. Okay, you're right... it was more like a giant lake of sap. In all fairness, I warned you in the beginning that this was a love story, and I have a bad habit of laying it on thick. **

**There's still more to come.**

**As always, I truly appreciate the readers and I adore hearing from you!**

**Happy reading,**

**~Sparrow **


	13. The Art of Disclosure

Chapter Thirteen

The Art of Disclosure

* * *

Kakashi and Sakura spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the streets of Suna, talking with one another and window-browsing the storefronts. Kakashi couldn't believe how unbelievably relieved he felt just to have Sakura in his immediate presence, knowing that she was safe and mostly unscathed. There was still some light bruising on the side of her face, and Kakashi wanted nothing more than to get his hands on the individual responsible for putting it there. He'd be walking away with a lot more than a bruise–assuming Kakashi left him walking at all. It was probably a good thing he hadn't been part of the team assigned to go back into the tunnels to apprehend the rogues. The gods only know what he would have done…

Kakashi lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck before shoving his hand back in his pocket. Sakura was still holding onto his arm, and he was finding it difficult not to think about the curve of her breast brushing against him as they walked. He was momentarily stunned when he felt Sakura's hand slide inside his pocket–her fingers searching for his in the small space. When she found them, she guided his hand into hers and freed them from the cramped confines of his pocket. "Is this okay?" she asked.

Was she really asking him if holding hands was okay? What, were they in grade school now? He looked at her, silver brow raised in surprise. "I'm fine with it if you are." He smiled at her, eyes creasing at the corners. As comfortable as they were with one another, Kakashi supposed there were still things the two had yet to experience. Sakura's touch was not foreign to Kakashi. She'd been healing him for years, and that required putting her hands on all sorts of places that ordinarily wouldn't get touched otherwise. Kakashi couldn't recall when her touch had stopped being purely clinical to him and began igniting sparks instead.

Sakura's soft pink eyebrows drew together, creating a thin crease on her forehead. "I just thought of something," Sakura said somberly.

"What's that?" Kakashi returned.

"If this gets out," Sakura gestured to their linked hands, "do you think Tsunade will still allow us to go on missions together?"

"You're still on my team, Sakura. Tsunade knows that you'd always put the mission first. I don't necessarily think that will be a problem."

Sakura tensed, and he felt the surge of her chakra as she brushed against his arm. "You said 'necessarily'," Sakura pointed out. "What do you think _will_ be a problem?"

Kakashi drew a breath and sighed slowly before turning his gaze to the people they were passing in the streets. Maybe Sakura hadn't noticed, but the pair had been drawing wandering eyes for the last couple of hours. Kakashi reasoned (in part) that his mask was to blame; people recognized him pretty much everywhere he went, but there was also a nagging feeling that people were staring because Sakura was a bit younger. "Well," he said, reaching up to scratch the corner of his jaw, "I'm your former teacher, Sakura. Technically, you're still my subordinate." Oh, how he hated the words for leaving his mouth.

"Technically that's true," she agreed. "We might turn some heads, but I don't really care what anyone says, Kakashi. As long as we still get to stay on the same team and things stay the same between us then I won't complain."

Kakashi stopped walking and turned to face her. "Hopefully you don't mind _some_ things changing." He lifted their linked hands, brushing a masked kiss across the back of her knuckles. He watched a smile light up Sakura's features; her smile alone did strange things to his chest. He lifted his other hand, pressing the heel of it against his sternum and attempted to rub the ache that seemed to be taking over his entire being.

"Oh, well," Sakura blushed as she reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, "there's a lot of things I'm looking forward to changing." She grinned at him. "In fact, maybe we can sneak into the palace and get to working on that 'change' before we're forced to spend the next three days surrounded by all our friends."

Kakashi chuckled. "Why, Sakura-chan," he chided playfully, "with that attitude, one might think you're not in fact looking forward to the return journey to Konoha."

"Trust me. I'm more than ready to get back to Fire Country. I never thought I'd miss the color green so much."

Kakashi smiled. He understood what she meant, but lucky for him, he didn't have to miss the color green. Her eyes just might be his favorite of all the colors. "You know," Kakashi said as he slid his palms up either side of her arms, "I think we're expected to be present for dinner."

Sakura groaned and tipped her head to the clouds like the very mature kunoichi she was. "You think we can just skip it on account of how exhausted I am?" She grinned up at him hopefully.

"I think," he said, sliding his arms around her waist, "that it would be rude not to show our faces considering everything Gaara has done for us." As much as the thought of locking her inside his room and taking her up on her offer to experience some of that 'change' appealed to him, it wouldn't be right. Technically they were still on a mission.

Sakura jutted out her bottom lip. Kakashi was tempted to remove his mask just to give her a good nip, but they were back in the square and there were too many eye-witnesses for his personal level of comfort. "You're no fun," she teased him.

Kakashi flicked a brow upwards but chose not to dignify her comment with a response. Instead he took her by the hand and led her through the city on their walk to the palace.

~/~

The palace halls were surprisingly quiet as Kakashi and Sakura headed towards their rooms. Sakura was still holding on to Kakashi's hand as they rounded the corner and a dark figure came into view. Sakura's stomach flopped, eliciting a wince when she realized that the dark figure in question was none other than Uchiha Sasuke. He was standing with his back to the wall, arms crossed over his chest and one leg bent behind him as he stared outside the window. A shock of midnight hair fell across his forehead, and in the warm, evening light, Sakura thought he resembled something of a dark angel.

Kakashi's hand pumped Sakura's as they slowed. "You should talk to him," Kakashi said in a quiet tone. He let go of her hand and walked towards his door. Sakura stood in the middle of the hall where he'd left her, only turning her head when the door closed and she found herself alone with Sasuke only a few yards away.

Was he waiting here for her?

Sakura took a moment to study his profile. He was a handsome devil–she'd give him that, but looks could only get you so far. Sasuke had been her first love, and part of her would always care for him, but she recognized they were on two very different paths in life and she doubted they were ever really suited for one another to begin with.

"You just going to stand there Haruno?" Sasuke spoke without turning his vision from the window.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, pinching her lips together as she took the first step forward. He still had such a way of igniting the coals of her temper. "Sasuke," she said his name in greeting, forcing herself to stand beside him. She tucked a lock of cotton-candy hair behind her ear, shifting her gaze out the window to see what was holding his attention. There was a small courtyard below, surrounded by a red adobe wall that encompassed picnic tables and iron benches. Sai, Tenzo, and the Sand-Siblings were down there, perched beneath the shade of a big colorful umbrella. "Spying on our friends?" she asked for the sake of making conversation.

At first, Sasuke didn't respond. She felt his gaze shift slowly–felt the chill of his onyx eyes sweeping over her profile. "Do you consider me a friend, Sakura?" he finally spoke.

Sakura's slender brows furrowed over jade-colored eyes, her lips parting in bemusement. Impulse had her reaching out, covering the back of his hand with hers. "We're friends, Sasuke," she told him with earnest. Sasuke looked down at her hand brushing his with a questioning look. Sakura let her hand fall back to her side, dropping her gaze to the marbled floor. "Maybe I haven't done a good job of being a friend to you–not like I have with Naruto and Sai…" her voice trailed off. "I guess I didn't know how after we… broke up."

Sasuke was still watching her with unblinking eyes. "I didn't know how to be your friend. Thinking about it now, perhaps that's why we didn't work out."

That was part of it, Sakura thought. She dragged her fingernails across her arm, scratching at the skin that itched for no reason. He'd broken her heart so many times Sakura had lost count. She'd ended things the last time, telling herself that it was in fact the _last_ time she would ever allow herself to fall into a trap. He would never hurt her again because she'd stripped away any opportunity he might have had, and kept herself at a distance. She'd talked to him when she had to, but made zero effort to go out of her way to strike up a conversation or seek him out like she did with Kakashi, Naruto, and Sai simply for company. With Sasuke leading a squad of Anbu Black Ops, he wasn't around much anyway, and that suited her just fine. Or, at least it had…

"I was avoiding you," Sakura admitted to him now. "I needed time to figure out who I was without you. I needed… growth."

"And did you achieve that?" he asked, turning his gaze back out the window.

"I think so." Sakura gave a small smile, allowing herself to look at him now that he wasn't burning a hole through her face.

Sasuke nodded. "I know that we may never be close Sakura, at least not in the way that you and Naruto are–"

"Or _you_ and Naruto," Sakura interrupted. Naruto had a funny way of getting under one's skin and staying there whether one wanted him to or not. Once Naruto decides he cares about you, there's nothing you can do to fend him off. Sakura loved that about him. He was the most loyal human being she'd ever met, and she was lucky to call him one of her best friends.

"–Or that," Sasuke allowed with a small grin. "But, I do still care about you, and I want you to be happy, Sakura."

Sakura's brows climbed towards her hairline. She dropped her gaze, finding a hangnail to pick at while she digested Sasuke's admission. She'd be lying if she said his confession didn't shock her. It was the most emotion she'd gotten from him in… _years_, possibly. "Thank you," she said in a quiet tone. "I appreciate that."

"So," Sasuke began, replacing his lighthearted tone for his usual smug one, "did Kakashi ask you to come and speak to me."

Sakura snickered dryly. "How'd you guess?"

Sasuke's eyebrows lifted just a tick. "Because I'm sure he thought you owed it to me to be honest about your–whatever you two are doing."

"We're together, Sasuke…" Sasuke's gaze slid to Sakura's, but she didn't think he looked all that surprised to hear her say it out loud. "We haven't announced it publicly. I mean, we're just dating but–"

"You don't need to explain it to me, Sakura." The corner of his mouth twitched. "I get it."

Sakura sucked the inside of her cheek between her teeth to keep from retorting an equally snarky reply. Her time card for kindness was running short it seemed, and she'd overstayed her conversational welcome. She nodded once, drawing a breath and turned on her heel. But it was just one single monosyllabic word that stopped her in her tracks.

"Hey," he said, tone softer now. She turned to face him. "He's a good man, and I know he'll treat you right–the way you deserve." Sasuke paused. "I'm sorry I couldn't be that for you."

Sakura stood there, frozen in place as she stared at the last surviving Uchiha. An unbidden heat prickled the corners of her eyes and threatened to pull a wave of tears to the surface. All she'd ever wanted was for Sasuke to apologize–to have remorse for all the hell he'd put her through–and he chose now of all times and places to tell her. She had to wonder why… Her lips parted, but no words would come to the surface.

"You deserve to be happy," Sasuke finished.

Sakura inhaled deeply, tilting her head just a small fraction as she looked at the first boy that had ever stolen her heart, and smiled at him. "So do you, I hope you know."

Sakura watched as the corner of his mouth lifted just a little. She knew it was all the response she was going to get, but she could live with that. They were both changing and growing, and whatever this new development was–Sakura approved. Things would never be as they were, but maybe that was a good thing.

Sakura and Sasuke parted ways, both turning in opposite directions down the hallway. Sakura was at peace with what had been said, and even more so with what hadn't been said. Kakashi had been right for suggesting she speak with him, though she may never admit that–lest the universe be thrown out of delicate balance to learn that Kakashi had gotten one up on her. She smiled to herself as she twisted the knob to his room and walked inside.

"Okay, okay, don't hold this over my head but you were ri–" she didn't finish her sentence as she closed the door behind her. Kakashi was nowhere to be seen inside his room, but as Sakura paused to listen, she heard the water running from the shower.

Several things popped into her mind all at once. The first being the very wild and thrilling realization that Kakashi was _naked _and one quick glance at the alarm on the nightstand confirmed that they still had another hour before they were expected to show their faces at Gaara's 'Goodbye Dinner'. The second thought was somewhat more tame. Sakura wanted him, more desperately than she had ever wanted any other, but she didn't want to rush it… The romance part of their relationship was still new, and though she was caught in the whirlwind of it all, she wanted the moment to be perfect.

Sakura slumped against the door, reaching up to run her fingers through the strands of her hair. The idea of perfection was just an illusion, Sakura knew, and besides–this was _Kakashi_ she was talking about! Sakura's timing had always been off, and their lifestyle made one thing perfectly clear: _Time_ was not a guarantee. No one knew how much time they were given, and Sakura knew she had to make the most of what she had. She loved him–she didn't need to wait for some grand gesture or place or mood to show him that.

She counted the steps to the bathroom, fingers reaching out for the door handle. Sakura's heartbeat echoed in her ears, drowning out the sound of the water pounding against the shower floor. She pushed the door open just a little, peering through the crack as warm steam billowed out around her. The moisture and heat had fogged up the mirror, and a film had coated the clear shower curtain, turning it milky in appearance. Tentative fingers reached for the edge, gripping lightly as her heart lodged in the back of her throat. Sakura swallowed hard, attempting to put her heart back in her chest where it belonged. "Kakashi?" she breathed his name.

She pulled the curtain as a cloud of steam parted just enough to reveal a familiar golden head of sopping wet hair. Sakura yelped, jumping in surprise as Naruto's eyes locked with hers. "_Oh gods Naruto_!" Sakura screeched as she slapped her palm over her eyes. But it was too late. She'd already seen _everything_, and there was nothing that would tear the mortifying images from her mind. "What the hell are you doing in here?!"

"_Me_?!" Naruto squawked. "What the hell are you doing in here?" The whites of his eyes had swallowed up the ocean of blue as he reached for the shower curtain. In his haste to cover up, his strength got the better of him, and the whole shower rod was wrenched from the wall. The rod hit the tile with a clatter, and hot water sprayed everywhere as Sakura tried desperately to find the door with her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Turn it off!" Sakura shouted, banging her head against a shelf on the wall as she slipped on the slick tile floor. She heard the shower shutting off and stumbled against the edge of the sink where she found a towel, and without looking managed to thrust it in Naruto's general direction. "I can't believe this is happening. Seriously Naruto, why are you here?" she snapped.

"I think the shower makes it pretty obvious," Naruto retorted sarcastically. "Gaara's doing some renovating so they're short on guest rooms. I was told that a few of us would have to triple up so I got assigned with Kakashi and Sai."

Well that made sense... "So where is he?"

"Kakashi? Oh, I think Gaara needed him for something. He said he'd be back before dinner." Naruto paused, "What are you doing in Kakashi-senpai's bathroom?"

Sakura wanted to crawl into a deep dark chasm and die of humiliation. Her face was on fire, and she knew her cheeks must have been burning a shade of red akin to the brightest of fire engines. But there was no escaping this one… "I-I was looking for… him," Sakura said.

"In the shower?" Naruto lifted a straw-colored brow and stepped out of the tub–_thankfully_–with a towel secured around his waist. That's not to say that Naruto looked _bad_ without the towel, it was the opposite really, but Sakura just preferred her friends to be clothed while she was forced to have such awkward conversations with them.

"Well," Sakura began, "I think I'm just gonna–" she reached for the doorknob but Naruto was suddenly behind her, palm flattening against the door to keep her trapped inside. Normally, this would have elicited Sakura to elbow him in the ribs, but she still wasn't at full strength and there was no sense in injuring him just to avoid the truth.

"There's something going on between you two, isn't there?" Naruto's tone was thick with amusement. "Come on Sakura-chan, you're my best friend, you can tell me."

"Coming from you, that sounds like a dare." Sakura shot him a look over her shoulder.

"Have you seen him without his mask?" Naruto didn't wait for her to reply. "You were either sneaking in here to try and get a glimpse of him without it on, or you've already seen him without it and you've fallen under his mystical spell. _Oh gods_! That's it, isn't it? Listen Sakura, we can get you help. Ayame survived, we can ask her how!"

"Oh, for the love of the First–are you even listening to yourself right now?" Sakura rolled her chromatic eyes towards the ceiling. "I have _real_ feelings for Kakashi that have nothing to do with his face, Naruto." His face was obviously an added bonus, but she had fallen for him before she'd seen him without his mask. "Trust me."

Naruto's hand slid down the door until he backed off and Sakura let herself out of the bathroom. Naruto was quick on her heels, but the air was much easier to breathe now that they weren't in such tight quarters of the steamy bathroom. "What kind of feelings?" Naruto asked, running a hand through his damp golden locks.

Sakura plopped down on the end of the bed, bouncing a little as the mattress gave beneath her slight weight. "You know," Sakura said with a shrug, "the meaningful deep kind of feelings."

Naruto appeared to be considering this. "And, Kakashi feels the same way about you?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Is that really so unbelievable?"

"No, Sakura, that's not what I meant," Naruto said, tone softening. "It actually kind of makes perfect sense now that I think about it."

"Don't hurt yourself," Sakura quipped.

"Hey, I'm being serious." Naruto sat down beside her, hands folded over his towel-clad lap. "You guys are a good match. You balance each other out and stuff. Besides, he's awful at taking care of himself, and well, you're just good for him, Sakura." Naruto looked over at the pink-haired nin and smiled one of his infectious smiles.

Sakura couldn't help but to smile back. "So you approve?"

"Yeah, I approve." Naruto elbowed her lightly in the ribs. "But I _so_ do not want to think about you sneaking into the shower with him."

"Oh _gods_," Sakura complained, covering her eyes as she fell back against the bed. "Please, I'm begging you to change the subject now."

"Sure," Naruto said as he fell back beside her on the comforter. "I need some advice anyways."

_This ought to be good_, Sakura thought. "About what?"

"About Hinata," Naruto said. "I think she likes me."

Sakura laughed, and turned her head to face her golden-haired companion. Naruto was an anomaly of sorts, but Sakura wouldn't trade his personality for all the Ryo in the world. "Okay Naruto, let's talk about Hinata," she agreed.

~/~

Gaara's 'Goodbye Dinner' went off without a hitch, and the company wasn't so bad either. To celebrate their victory in Suna, as well as their friendship, Gaara had brought out a special wine that was gold in color and had been made from a rare species of cactus. At first, Sakura didn't think it tasted too appealing, but as the evening went on, she kept sipping and the liquid warmed her veins and began to taste like sweet honey.

By her estimation, Kakashi had only taken a few sips of his drink to be polite, but Sakura knew the man wasn't partial to alcohol or anything that would alter his senses. He was a ninja to the core, and though Sakura admired that about him, she often wished he would give in every now and then if only to have a little bit of fun. Naruto, on the other hand, could have exercised a little more restraint in Sakura's opinion.

The golden-haired Jinchuriki stumbled over his feet as he rose from his dinner chair and Sakura slipped her shoulder beneath his arm in effort to catch him before he ate the marble floor for dessert. "Ah, hi there Sakura-chan." Naruto grinned rather crookedly and bopped the tip of her nose with a sticky index finger. "H-how far is it to the room?" Naruto slurred as they exited the dining hall.

"Don't you worry about that Naruto," Sakura said, "just keep moving and we'll get ya' there."

"When did you become such a lush?" Sasuke stepped up to Naruto's free side and slid his arm under his opposite shoulder to help guide him down the hall.

"I'm not a lush," Naruto said with a frown. "It's Kurama," he added with a whisper. "Damn fox can't hold his alcohol."

Sakura giggled, shaking her head as they walked down the hall. For a moment, it was just like old times again as the three of them set off together. Vaguely, Sakura wondered when the last time they had been together like this was, and though she couldn't recall an exact time, the ghost of those memories brought a smile to her face. For a second time that day, Sakura was glad that Kakashi had suggested she talk to Sasuke.

Sakura shifted her gaze, turning her head to look behind her shoulder and spotted the man himself, walking behind them with his hands stuffed in his pockets. She could tell he was smiling at her from the crease of his eyes, and she smiled back.

Several prolonged moments later (mostly due to an excessive amount of stumbling on Naruto's part) Sakura and Sasuke managed to get Naruto into his room and into the bed where it had taken all of ten seconds for the boy to fall asleep. His mouth was half open, and he was already beginning to snore.

"Well, you guys have fun with that," Sasuke said, turning for the doorway.

"Who are you rooming with?" Sakura asked him.

"I'm with Tenzo," Sasuke told her. "See you in the morning." He nodded once and closed the door behind him.

Sakura heaved a sigh and looked up at Kakashi. "Well," she said, "this wasn't exactly how I hoped tonight would turn out." She looked over at the passed-out blond taking up the majority of Kakashi's bed and grinned. "I'd invite you to my room but Hinata is bunking with me."

Kakashi stepped towards her until his hands were secured around her waist. "It's okay. You need to get some rest anyway. We have a long journey ahead of us, and we're returning with a prisoner so we need to be at our absolute sharpest."

Sakura made a show of screwing up her eyes as her fingers picked through the strands of his hair like she was spreading them apart in search of something. "Huh, that's interesting," she commented, "I don't see it."

"See what?" Kakashi flicked a dubious silver brow upwards.

"The switch the shuts off the ninja-warrior mode," she teased him.

"That's because there isn't one." Kakashi reached up, lightly wrapping Sakura's wrists in his hands as he removed them from his head and held them against his chest instead. "We will have plenty of time for just the two of us when we get back to Konoha, Sakura-chan."

Sakura very much disliked that Kakashi was in control of his feelings and could taper his desire for her so easily. Though she hadn't drank nearly as much as her golden-haired friend, Sakura's head was still buzzing, and she hoped the alcohol was partly to blame for the next thought that popped into her head: _What if he doesn't want me as badly as I want him?_

"What was that look for?" Kakashi asked her, lifting his chin a little.

"What look?" She tried to feign ignorance.

Kakashi said nothing. He didn't have to. He was looking at her in a way that made it perfectly clear Sakura was see-through. She hated that he had the ability to look at her like that–hated and loved it simultaneously. It sobered her up entirely.

"Well," Sakura began, thinking back to the realization she'd had earlier in the day when she thought Kakashi had been in the shower but walked in on Naruto instead, "we're ninjas Kakashi–none of us know how much time we're given. The last few days have been proof of that, haven't they?"

"Ah," he murmured, "I see." He pulled Sakura in close, until her body was aligned with his and his palms rounded over the curve of her shoulders. "The life we lead isn't one for the feeble-minded, Sakura. But time isn't guaranteed for any of us–not just ninja. I don't want to take a single moment I have with you for granted," he told her earnestly, "but that doesn't mean I want to rush what we have, either."

"But is it really rushing if we both want it?" she persisted stubbornly.

Kakashi chuckled, and Sakura could feel the vibrations in her palms from where her hands were still gathered against his sternum. "Sakura," he said her name in a tone that nearly broke her heart, "I'm always going to want you. Whether it's a day from now or two-hundred days–I'm still going to want you. I just… I want to do this right."

Sakura felt a slow smile pulling at the corners of her mouth and tipped her forehead against his chest. "Please don't make me wait two-hundred days."

Kakashi laughed again lightly, and hooked his finger underneath her chin to draw her gaze. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I understand," Sakura said. "I just hope you want me as much as I want you."

"Trust me," Kakashi said, "everything you do–even down to the way you tuck your hair behind your ear, or the way you lace your boots up… it's all driving me insane. I want you Sakura, more than I've ever wanted anything."

Sakura pressed her lips together to keep from grinning like an idiot and reached up to pull his mask down. "Then kiss me before I go." She twisted her hands in his shirt collar and yanked his mouth to hers. Sakura didn't care that Naruto was passed out on the mattress just a couple feet away, and she didn't care that Sai could walk in on them at any minute. If Kakashi wanted her, then she was going to give him something to think about while he slept alone on the floor tonight. She could wait for him until he decided the time was right, but she was going to have fun torturing him in the process.

After a moment she broke the kiss and left him standing there breathless. "Goodnight Kakashi. I hope you dream about me."

~/~

As Sakura headed for the door that separated their rooms, Kakashi had no doubt that he would in fact dream about her when sleep claimed his consciousness.

* * *

**Hello lovely readers! Sorry this chapter was postponed a bit. I was on vacation last week and didn't get to do any writing. Fingers crossed chapter 14 makes it out by next Sunday. **

**As always, I truly appreciate you guys - thanks for reading!**

**~Sparrow **


	14. The Art of Moonlight and Meadows

**Notes at the beginning this time. I'm going to go ahead and stick an "M" rating on this chapter in particular. It is a bit longer than the others and for that I apologize. You'll see why. ;) I hope you enjoy!**

**~Sparrow**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

The Art of Meadows and Moonlight

* * *

Sakura wrapped her arms around Gaara's middle as he hugged her goodbye. "Good luck on your return journey, Sakura-san." His hand pressed to the middle of her back as he smiled at her warmly. "Please, I hope you'll come and visit us again soon–next time on a social call."

"With any luck, let's hope that's the case." She gripped the auburn-haired Kage's forearms as she slid out of his embrace. "We'd love to have you in Konoha as well. The Hokage tower might not be as nice as the palace, but at least the weather is particularly nice this time of year." She thought about mentioning the fact that their tower wasn't under construction and there was plenty of space available–but she didn't want to sound rude.

Gaara grinned. "Thank you, Sakura, I may have to take you up on that offer." He leaned in close to her ear. "Don't tell anyone, but sometimes even_ I_ can't stand this desert heat."

Now it was Sakura's turn to giggle. "Your secret is safe with me, Gaara-sama." The two parted as Naruto practically bumped her out of the way so he could get in his own goodbyes with the Kazekage. Sakura had already said goodbye to both Temari and Kankuro, and waved again at the glum-looking shinobi standing by the gates.

"I told you he'd be heartbroken," Kakashi leaned down to whisper in her ear. His arms were crossed over his chest in an oh-so-casual position that was customary to the silver-haired shinobi.

"Oh stop." She swatted his chest with the back of her hand, and Kakashi made a show of rubbing away the feigned hurt she'd caused. After a full night's sleep, her strength had returned and she'd managed to heal herself the rest of the way. She was tempted to leave the bruises on her face as a reminder that even she was still vulnerable at times, but she couldn't stand the way Kakashi was eyeing her wounds. His expression had been murderous; she knew it wasn't directed at her, but rather the man responsible for marring her face. She surmised it was a good thing he and the other guards working for Sumire were being escorted to Cloud Country.

She couldn't say as much for Sumire.

The purple-haired nin had been brought from the prison cells bound in chakra restraints. She'd been given a pair of simple cotton clothes and hiking sandals–garb that labeled her a civilian. Her round face was clean and unreadable, but Sakura thought she could see a crack within the carefully constructed veneer. There was fire burning behind her irises, and she was still so full of rage and pain. Sakura wanted to talk with her, but she didn't want to do it surrounded by a team of Sasuke's Anbu. After all, they were the ones in charge of keeping Sumire in line. Sakura counted ten (in total) masked-men as they set out into the desert with Naruto and Hinata in the lead. Kakashi walked behind them, and Sakura took a moment to fall in line with Sai.

"Hey you," she greeted the dark-haired nin as she linked her arm through his at the elbow. "You've been awfully quiet."

"I'm always quiet," Sai replied with a slight shrug.

"More so than usual," Sakura insisted, "enough to worry me."

"Ah, but you always worry Sakura-chan." Sai grinned at her, lightly brushing his elbow into her ribs as they walked. Thank the gods there were clouds in the sky today, and they were helping to shield them from the intense rays of the desert sun.

"I suppose I can't argue with that," Sakura said, lifting her pale pink eyebrows. "You're okay though, right?" She glanced up at her friend, studying his profile.

"Yes Sakura, I'm fine." Sai's lips tilted at the corners. "I was very worried for you when I learned about what you had done in order to save Temari and I. Sometimes I forget how much you care for me… I know that probably sounds ridiculous, but, it's still hard for me to remember that my life means something _more.._." Sai paused, looking out at the vast desert surrounding them as he struggled to come up with words to put to his emotions. "It's still hard for me to believe that my life is worth protecting."

Sakura felt a deep hollowness in her chest and squeezed Sai's arm tightly to her side. _Gods_, she hated Root and everything that it stood for. How someone could manipulate a human being into believing that their life means nothing–that they are only a tool to be used for the 'greater good' was absolutely sickening. "You are valuable, Sai. It shouldn't take me walking into some dark tunnel with only a fifty-fifty shot of returning for you to realize that I would do anything to save you."

Sai was quiet for a moment, dark gaze fixed on something far off. When he finally spoke, he turned his head so that he could look at Sakura. "It will be hard for Sumire to believe, too."

Sakura pressed her lips in a tight line and tipped her head against Sai's shoulder. "So we'll just have to show her that there's another way."

"A better way," Sai agreed, lightly touching Sakura's chin. "I am grateful for you, Sakura."

"And I am grateful for you." Sakura let go of his arm, only to replace her grip more securely around Sai's waist. "Oh, and by the way, you _so_ lost the bet."

Sai tilted his head, frowning down at the pink-haired kunoichi. "I believe you are the one that lost, Sakura. I gave you three days to make good on our deal. You were sent out on the mission the day after–so unless you're telling me you met someone during the mission, then I believe it was I that won."

Sakura giggled. "Come on Sai… everyone else was pretty quick to figure it out."

"Figure what out?" The boy looked truly perplexed.

"Well… I'm seeing someone. He's tall, handsome, and stoical–almost to a fault, but he's a good man and I'm really lucky he decided to look my way." A few paces in front of them, Sakura could have sworn she heard Kakashi's deep, quiet chuckle.

"Am I supposed to guess who this is? I don't much care for guessing games…"

"Okay, okay, I'll give you one final clue… He has silver hair."

Sai nearly stumbled over his feet and probably would have tripped had Sakura not steadied him. The expression contorting his features could only be described as total befuddlement. "Kakashi-senpai?" Sai lifted his eyebrows. "But… he's…"

"Perfect for me," Sakura interrupted his thoughts. "Anyway, I won the bet so that means you have to talk to Ino when we get back to Konoha and tell her how you feel."

"I thought you were going to do that?"

"Yeah, about that… I think it actually might be good for you to talk to her. Think of it as a necessary life experience."

Sai furrowed his brows. "But, what if she doesn't like me?"

"Then she's an idiot and she's missing out on what would possibly be the best thing for her," Sakura said sincerely.

"What if I say something stupid?"

Sakura couldn't help but snort. Sai was known for putting his foot in his mouth, but the boy had a pure heart for what counted. "I can help coach you on what to say if you're nervous, but if you speak from the heart you won't screw it up."

Sai appeared to be considering this. "A necessary life experience," he finally repeated.

"Yep," Sakura agreed.

"Okay." He nodded once. Sai shifted his gaze, looking up at the silver-haired nin in front of them. "So," Sai said, "Hatake Kakashi huh?"

Sakura smiled until she felt the warmth light up her face. "Hatake Kakashi."

~/~

The group of Konoha nins walked until the buttery-yellow arc of the crescent moon climbed high in the night sky and slipped behind a layer of thick clouds that made it difficult to see the terrain. They'd made it to the border of Tanigakure in the Land of Rivers. Sakura had never been more thrilled to see grass so green, and leave the dry, russet colors of the desert behind.

Sakura slid her pack from her shoulders, letting it drop to the ground at her ankles while she took a deep breath of the cool night air. She could smell the rich scents of the earth, and though invigorating at first, they also reminded her of the recent and unpleasant stint underground. Sakura kneaded the tight muscles in the back of her neck with one hand while she watched the Anbu soldiers standing guard over Sumire and setting up a makeshift campsite. Within mere minutes, small green canvas tents were pitched, blending with the forest surroundings in perfect camouflage.

Sakura didn't hear Kakashi approach. Instead, she felt his hands settle onto her shoulders while his strong thumbs worked at the knots on either side of her spine. She felt herself relaxing into his touch; enjoying the way his adept fingers worked out her aches and pains.

"How are you holding up?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm all right," Sakura replied. She leaned against him as Kakashi drew her back against his chest and folded his arms around her middle.

"You haven't taken your eyes off Sumire since we left Suna," Kakashi commented. "You're worried."

Sakura rolled her eyes, once again disliking the fact that she was so transparent. "I just want to talk to her," Sakura breathed out. "She's hurting."

"Don't let her age fool you into thinking she's soft, Sakura. She may be young, but she was born into a cruel practice and she's skilled at the craft."

"I know that Kakashi…" Sakura turned in his arms so she could look at his face–or at least, what was visible of it anyway. Between the mask and the dim lighting, his features were nearly impossible to make out. The moon, it seemed, was still playing hide and seek with the clouds. "She tried to kill Naruto in order to get to Sai–I haven't forgotten that. I just think she deserves a chance to change."

Kakashi stroked the blade of her cheekbone with his thumb, and Sakura felt tiny sparks in the wake of the path. "Some people," Kakashi said, "aren't capable of changing."

"And sometimes," she insisted, thinking of Sai and even Sasuke, "they are." Sakura folded her palm over the back of his hand, keeping it pressed tenderly to her face. She watched his chest expand as he drew breath, but no clever retort left his lips. Sakura turned her face, pressing a kiss to the middle of his palm. "I'm going to check in with Hinata and see if she needs help with anything. See you later?"

"Of course," he replied.

The clouds were thinning overhead–not enough for the moon to entirely brighten their surroundings, but enough so that Sakura could make out who was who in the darkness. Except for the Anbu soldiers of course–they were all still wearing masks. Sakura noted that two of them were standing guard over Sumire who was now perched on a tree stump; her hands were bound behind her back, and her eyes averted towards the ground. Another group had started working on a campfire, and pots for boiling miso and rice had gone up over the flames. Sakura found Hinata there, chopping eggplants to add to their dinners.

"Need a hand?" Sakura asked the dark-haired kunoichi beside her.

"Sure." Hinata grinned and passed a kunai and deep purple vegetable to Sakura.

"You know," Sakura said, "I think I probably have more weapons in my kitchen drawers than I do actual eating utensils. Freaks my parents out every time they come over for dinner."

"So do I," Hinata said with a little laugh. "It's probably just a ninja thing. Though I have to say… my parents are used to it."

"Your parents aren't civilians," Sakura pointed out.

"True." Hinata gathered the neat slices of eggplant and dumped them into the pot in front of her. "Do your parents approve of you being a ninja?"

Sakura nodded as she worked. "My parents were so excited when they learned I'd been accepted to Academy. Before we were introduced to our instructors, the Third brought Kakashi to each of our houses to show him how we lived. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but I heard stories, and I think meeting my mom probably scared Kakashi to death." Sakura giggled at the memory. "She can be a little overbearing with her excitement and she has no sense of personal space."

"I bet Kakashi _loved _that," Hinata said with a chuckle. "Growing up, he always seemed so… unreachable; like he was on a different level or something."

"For the longest time, we thought he was just a lazy porn-reading slacker. But then we had that damn bell test, and I started seeing him in a different light." Sakura reached over to add her slices to the pot in front of her as Hinata handed her another. "Come to find out he was wicked smart, and talented, and selfless, and brave, and–"

Hinata giggled, interrupting Sakura's train of thought. "Have you told him you love him yet?"

Sakura chopped through her vegetable with a little more gusto than necessary, nearly nicking the tip of her thumb. "Not in so many words," she admitted quietly, "but he knows."

"Knowing and hearing it are two different things," Hinata commented, taking the vegetable and the kunai away from her before she could do accidental bodily harm.

Sakura furrowed a brow and looked at her friend as the firelight reflected on her features, softening them. "How are things with Naruto?"

"They're good," she admitted, "he finally figured out that I've been flirting with him and he's been reciprocating the sentiments–all thanks to you, I'm sure." She paused to point the kunai at Sakura. "But you can't change the subject Haruno, we were talking about you and Kakashi."

Sakura flexed her fingers at her sides. "What if I don't want to be the first to say it?" she said in a small voice. "I… I think I've loved him longer than I realized and I was just afraid to admit it. I'm not used to feeling so vulnerable, Hinata. It's like I'm a kid again."

"Come on Sakura. You're the strongest, most fearless person I know. Besides all that, Kakashi is completely in love with you."

"I don't want to scare him…"

Now, Hinata gave a snort that was not at all lady like. "That man has been through more than any of us realize. I think he can handle it, Sakura." She elbowed Sakura in the ribs and scooped her out a small bowl of miso and rice. "Stop being ridiculous."

"Thank you," she said with a hint of sarcasm, ignoring the way Hinata was smiling at her. Naruto showed up next and began helping himself to the pot of food cooking over the flames.

"This smells fantastic," he commented, splashing the miso into his bowl.

"Just remember to leave some for the rest of us," Tenzo said as he gripped the golden-haired nin by his shoulders. A line was forming behind him, so Sakura stayed to help spoon out equal portions to the rest of the men in the campsite. Kakashi was the last to approach, and Sakura had made sure to save extra eggplant for his portion.

He noticed. He smiled at her from beneath the concealing lines of his mask, and Sakura felt her insides warming just from standing in his presence. "Thank you, Sakura."

"You're welcome." Her fingers brushed against his as she handed him the bowl.

"I swept the perimeter earlier. There's a small meadow just through those trees," Kakashi pointed towards the Eastern Horizon line, "will you join me?"

"I would love to," Sakura smiled up at him, "but first, I'm going to take Sumire some miso and see if the guards will let me have a minute alone with her."

A shadow passed behind Kakashi's visible eye. "Sakura…"

"Just ten minutes. That's all I'm asking."

Kakashi sighed in response and bent to press a masked kiss to her forehead. "Ten minutes," he agreed. "I'll be just through that clearing." He nodded towards the silhouetted tree line.

Sakura smiled up at him before spooning out a helping of miso. She squared her shoulders as she headed towards the Anbu campsite. The two men guarding Sumire stepped in front of her, blocking Sakura from getting too close; Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I brought her dinner," she said through clenched teeth. "She _is _allowed to eat, right?"

The men didn't respond. Instead, the one wearing a cat-faced mask reached for the bowl of miso and took it from Sakura. She watched the man extend the bowl to Sumire–who stared dumbly at his hidden features.

"You'll need to untie her hands," Sakura said.

"Uchiha Sasuke told us to keep her bound at all times," the man wearing the monkey mask replied with a crisp tone.

"Oh well that's nice," Sakura said, crossing her arms over her chest as she jutted out a hip, "are you planning to spoon feed the girl?"

"If I have to," Monkey Mask replied.

"Untie her," a voice in the darkness commanded. Sakura looked up to see a nearby tent flap pulled back as Sasuke emerged from the shadows. "If she tries anything, kill her."

"But–"

"–Do it," Sasuke repeated.

"I just want ten minutes," Sakura said to him as the man wearing the cat mask began to untie Sumire's wrists.

Sasuke nodded before walking off to join Naruto and Hinata by the campfire. When the men finished removing Sumire's restraints, they stalked off less than ten yards away, making themselves blend with the shadows of the nearest tree line.

"That's better," Sakura said, taking a seat on a rotting log beside the purple-haired girl. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. Sasuke meant what he said… he always does."

"I couldn't try anything if I wanted to," Sumire responded flatly. "The Suna aids gave me some sort of drug to block my chakra flow. I'm useless as a ninja until your Konoha physicians give me the antidote, so you don't have to worry." Her tone was derisive, but Sakura thought she seemed grateful to have the bindings removed from her wrists. Being spoon-fed your dinner was degrading–especially for a ninja, or anyone who prided themselves on their independence.

"It's precautionary, I'm sure you understand," Sakura said. Yes–she was dishing Sumire's own words back to her from the night Sakura had been taken into the tunnels, but her tone didn't harbor an ounce of venom.

Sumire was a smart girl; she caught the proverbial drift and even gave a small chuckle as she spooned in her first bite.

"Are you doing all right?" Sakura asked after a moment of silence.

"Why do you care?"

Sakura tucked a lock of pink hair behind her ear and crossed her legs at her ankles. "I guess it's just my nature."

Sumire dragged her spoon across the bottom of her bowl before meeting Sakura's gaze. "I almost killed one of your best friends. I held you hostage and had you drugged almost to the point of death because I wanted Sai. That was the mission: do whatever it takes to bring him home. You should hate me."

"Yeah, well, you were terribly misguided," Sakura said. "You've seen with your own eyes that Sai is where he wants to be. We're not forcing him to stay or holding him against his will. Konoha is his home. Team Seven is his family." Sakura paused, glancing down at her hands. "It took him a while, but, he came to realize that there's so much more to life outside of Root and revenge. You can have that life, Sumire."

The purple-haired nin drew her lips in a tight line as she met Sakura's gaze. "But I am a prisoner now."

"We're giving you a second chance… don't you see?" Sakura reached over and folded her palm over the girl's knee. "I don't think you actually believe in Root… You said it yourself–you took a mission objective because that was your father's last request. But you're not free of emotion, Sumire… What you tried to do, you did for vengeance…"

Sumire snickered humorlessly. "You think you have me all figured out, huh? Well maybe you're right about one thing Haruno Sakura. Maybe I don't believe in Root, but I know how to _use_ it. I used it to get what I wanted, and I was good at it, too. I still hate Konoha for what they did to my father… It's your Hokage's fault my mother is dead. If she hadn't exiled my father then–" Sumire bit off the end of her sentence and dropped her empty miso bowl to the ground; curling her fingers into tight fists.

For a moment, Sakura didn't reply. She watched the girl carefully, gauging her facial expression and studying the way her whole body seemed to tense like a stiff board. "You're angry," Sakura said softly, "and you have every right to be."

That admission surprised Sumire, and the girl looked up, locking eyes with Sakura. "What do _you_ know about anger?" she snapped.

Sakura only smiled. "You should have seen me at your age," Sakura replied. "I still have a hot temper; I'm practically famous for it in Konoha. That being said… anger never gets you what you _need_. It's one of the strongest emotions we're capable of expressing, but it's also one of the most counterproductive."

"Pain and anger are all I know, Sakura…" the girl admitted.

"No it's not," Sakura said, slowly shaking her head. "You found all those people who had nowhere to go and no purpose, and you took them in and gave their life meaning. Deep down, Sumire, you're not a monster. You're just a heartbroken little girl that lost her direction." With that, Sakura reached forward to scoop the bowl up from the ground and stood. The Anbu soldiers had started walking their way, and Sakura knew her time was running out. "The Hokage didn't exile your father, Sumire. Deep down, I think you know that… I think that's the reason why you're really angry."

Sakura caught a flash of the girl's eyes widening and watched her lips part as Sakura began walking away. The Anbu guards were closing in, moving behind the girl to bind her wrists. Sakura only hoped she'd given her something to think about, and maybe–just maybe, it would be enough to make a difference.

~/~

Sakura was both physically and emotionally drained as she made her trek across the campsite. She'd deposited her empty bowl at the makeshift kitchen area in front of the fire, found her companions there, and bid them goodnight. No one asked her where she was going, and Sakura was grateful for the reprieve. She glanced up at the crescent moon peeking down at her through the thinning clouds, and disappeared through the tree line. She didn't have to walk far to find the meadow Kakashi had mentioned, spreading before her in a near-perfect circle that was surrounded by towering trees and tall grasses that brushed against her shins.

She spotted the triangular shape of the tent hidden among the tree line on the opposite side, and smiled to herself as she listened to the sounds of deep forest just beyond. Kakashi usually preferred to sleep out in the open, but extra tents had been provided for them, courtesy of the Kazekage, and Sakura would happily take advantage of the arrangements.

"Kakashi," Sakura said as she approached the tent, "are you in there?" She didn't want to have another accidental encounter with someone in a compromising situation, so she focused her chakra and felt Kakashi's familiar signature tingling through her veins.

"Yo," he greeted her with his eyes creased in a smile as she pulled back the tent flap.

Sakura was surprised to find that she could _see_. A small fire lantern was hanging from the apex of Kakashi's tent, casting flickers of light and shadow against the green canvas walls. "Where did that come from?" Sakura pointed at the lantern.

Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly. "I keep it on me in case I find myself in a situation where the light is too dim to read."

"Of course you do." Sakura shook her head at the turn of a smile. She glanced down to see that he'd brought her pack inside, and two bed rolls were spread out side by side. Kakashi himself was perched on the one to her right; he was sitting so that one of his legs was drawn to his chest, an arm casually resting across his knee as he held his battered copy of _Icha Icha_ in his hand. Kakashi had taken off his boots and removed the heavy flak jacket, dressed now in his black uniform pants and Jonin shirt. He'd removed his hitai-ate, letting his hair fall messily over his forehead in a way that Sakura found incredibly sexy. Her hands were practically twitching with eagerness to run her fingers through the silken strands.

"Did you talk to Sumire?" Kakashi asked, closing his book and stuffing it back inside his backpack.

"I did," Sakura said as she lowered herself to the ground beside him. She had more to say on the subject, but was finding it difficult to come up with words as she watched the warm amber glow of firelight playing over Kakashi's features. And, there was also the fact that he'd brought in her things and set them up next to his like… like she belonged there.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kakashi asked, angling his chin towards her.

Sakura smiled. "Awfully presumptuous of you to assume we'd be sharing a tent," Sakura teased, rolling herself onto her knees as she leaned towards him, pressing her lips to his carotid. She felt the up-tick of his pulse against her mouth and smiled even wider.

"I told you, Sakura," Kakashi said, his tone low and sexy, "you're mine."

"Mm," she murmured softly against his throat, continuing to press slow kisses down the length of it until her mouth traced a path over his collarbone. She gave him a little nip, and a low moan caught in the back of Kakashi's throat as his hands rolled over Sakura's shoulders, firmly but gently holding her at bay. She looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong Kakashi?"

"I don't want to hurt you," he said, pausing as he struggled to find the words, "It's been a while for me, and…"

Amused, Sakura lifted her eyebrows. "Are you trying to ask if I'm a virgin, Kakashi?"

Kakashi didn't reply. He met the green of her springtime gaze and Sakura noticed the slightest of pink tinges dusting the blades of his cheekbones above his mask. Which reminded her… She reached up, slowly sliding it off his face as she settled her hands on the back of his neck, playing with the shorter strands of hair at his nape.

"Sasuke was my first and only," she admitted to him quietly. "You're not going to hurt me, Kakashi." She watched his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, eyebrows pulling heavy over his eyes. "I'm sorry if that disappoints you," she added as she tried to gauge his expression. Surely he had to have known…

"No," Kakashi said at length, "no, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Kakashi let go of Sakura's shoulders, brushing her hair back from her face. "I told you I wanted to do this right. This isn't some casual fling for me, Sakura. I need you to know that…" Kakashi was looking at her like he was desperate for her to see the words he couldn't bring himself to say.

Maybe Sakura wasn't the only one afraid that saying those three little words would somehow backfire and ruin what they'd always had together… But how could it? She knew this man–knew every quirk and charm and flaw that made him who he was, and loved him in spite of all those things combined. That wouldn't change. It could only grow and evolve into something deeper, and that, Sakura knew, deep within her soul, was exactly what she wanted. She pressed her hand against the side of his face, steeling herself against the swirling current of butterflies that had begun fluttering through her insides and looked Kakashi in the eye. "Hatake Kakashi," she breathed his name, "I'm in love with you."

Kakashi's mismatched eyes seemed to widen at Sakura's confession, his whole face softening in response. Judging by the relief on his face, Sakura had to wonder if he'd really thought her loving him had been an incomprehensible possibility, and it made her ache in sadness. He reached for her then, hand curling over her thigh to guide her over his lap as he crushed his mouth to hers. Sakura closed her eyes, breathing in the earthy aroma of his skin as his lips parted over hers. She thought he tasted almost as good as he smelled, and Sakura pushed up on her knees to mold her body more tightly to his as the kisses deepened.

Kakashi's hands slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, pressing into the small of her back as his teeth raked over the corner of her jaw. Sakura could feel the heat of his touch burning into her skin as the fire grew within her core. Kakashi lifted her shirt, fingertips trailing over her skin until the cloth was wrenched from her body. She watched him drinking in the sight of her toned figure, eyes dilating as his hands explored her torso, tracing over the curves of her breasts. She thought his touch was electric, and every spot he touched likely to burst into flame.

She needed to be closer. She wanted to see him as he was seeing her. She reached for the fabric of his shirt, dragging it over his head and away from his body so she could take in the sight of his perfect form. Her small, feminine hands pressed into the muscled planes of his broad chest, lightly, like a whisper of air, she began to trace the rigid contours of his abdomen. There were scars there; pale, pearl-like flesh that marked old battle wounds. Sakura remembered healing some of them, but now her focus was on something entirely different.

Kakashi's hands slowly, tantalizingly, slid the straps of her bra away from her shoulders. His lips tattooed the tender skin of her throat while he held her still; one hand expertly undoing the clasp of her bra. She felt the warmth of his chest press against her as his arm curled around her back and he managed to roll her to the ground beneath him.

"Everything about you is perfect, Sakura," Kakashi told her, bending to kiss the hollow at the base of her throat. She felt his tongue against her skin and closed her eyes, hips arching into his as his mouth continued to claim every inch of her chest. His callused hands roved over her breasts, eliciting a moan as his thumb stroked over her hardening nipple. She reached for him then, hands grasping the rounds of his shoulders to pull him closer to her still.

"I want you," she whispered against his mouth.

Sakura felt Kakashi smile against her lips, and felt his hot breath fanning over her face as he whispered back, "Patience, Sakura."

He was going to torture her by taking his time. Later, she'd recall how much she appreciated his attention to detail, but now she was bursting at the seams for him.

Sakura had no idea how much time was passing, and Kakashi seemed to be in no particular rush to remove the final layers of their clothing. Never had she been kissed and touched like this before, like she was wanted and adored. She didn't want to compare him to Sasuke, but he had been her only lover and she couldn't help the natural path of her thoughts. She realized there was no competition. Kakashi knew what he was doing, and he wanted her to feel cherished–to feel like she was the only thing that mattered.

At last, when Sakura thought she couldn't wait a moment more, Kakashi pressed his knee to her inner thigh, encouraging her to meet him halfway. She lifted herself as he slid inside; his taut muscles bunching beneath her hands as a low groan caught in the back of his throat. Kakashi tipped his forehead against hers, and kissed her as his hips slid tightly against hers.

Sakura couldn't feel a single part of herself that wasn't also apart of him. Every atom in her body tingled with pleasure as he rocked against her. Sakura met his thrusts, fingernails raking across the muscled planes of his back as she held on tightly. She could feel nothing that wasn't the heat of his skin, or breathe the air that wasn't from his lungs. She was lost to him, body and soul, and she never wanted to wake from this dream.

"Kakashi," she breathed his name as the fire built insurmountably inside her core. She opened her eyes to gaze into his, and saw the passion reflected in his expression. She couldn't hold on a moment longer and closed her eyes as a sharp cry escaped her throat. Kakashi stifled it with a heated kiss, lips crushing to hers as his own pleasure followed shortly after. Kakashi groaned, resting his sweaty brow against her collarbones as Sakura shivered in absolute sated bliss.

Kakashi stayed in her arms, his weight pleasantly settled against her as her fingers stroked a path through his tousled hair. She could feel his breath, warm against her skin as his arm draped across her waist.

Just as Sakura was about to drift off to sleep happily tangled in his embrace, she heard Kakashi whisper, "I love you, Sakura-chan. Always."


	15. The Art of Painted Eagle Wings

Chapter Fifteen

The Art of Painted Eagle Wings

* * *

Kakashi woke in the early hours just before dawn with the scent of jasmine and vanilla tangled through his senses. The woman of his dreams was curled up next to him, tucked safely in the curve of his body with her back drawn against his chest. Outside their tent, thunder was rumbling in the sky, and Kakashi could smell the incoming rain in the atmosphere. _It was a miracle that Sakura was still sleeping_, he thought as he slowly ran his fingertips from her shoulder to her inner wrist, enjoying the softness of her skin.

Last night had been a first for him–the first time he'd been intimate with someone he was deeply in love with, and Kakashi wondered how he had gone so long without ever feeling this way. He wasn't an arrogant man, but he knew he was good at being a ninja. He was a skilled warrior, a good leader despite his aversion to being one, and he was good at being alone… Kakashi, however, was terrified that he would not be good at being in a relationship. He'd been on his own for a very long time, and didn't know how to belong to someone else.

But for her, he would try.

Kakashi couldn't remember a time in his life where he had wanted anything more than he wanted her. It would be an adjustment in some ways, but Sakura had always been involved in his life in one way or another. She'd woven herself into it without him really being aware, and those threads were too tightly sewn for them to ever be ripped apart now.

Thunder rattled above them, and Kakashi heard the first drop of rain fall against the canvas tent with a dull thud. He sensed Sakura's breathing change, and leaned forward to brush a kiss against her shoulder blade as she stirred.

"What time is it?" Sakura mumbled groggily.

"We still have another hour or so before dawn," Kakashi replied. Sakura rolled to face him, nuzzling against his chest as her hand reached for the cover and pulled it down below his hips. Kakashi grinned at her. "What are you doing, Sakura?"

"Admiring the view," she replied without missing a beat. "Your body is like a sculpture. You shouldn't hide it behind so many layers all the time."

"Considering the job description, I don't have much of a choice." Kakashi laid his palm against the dip of her waist, tracing out a path that curved up and over her hip. He watched her skin shiver as his fingertips dipped across her stomach, and his own body responded in succession. Sakura noticed, and her hand ventured into dangerous territories that lit his body with burning desire for only her.

There was no need for words after that. Kakashi pulled Sakura to him, hungry for the feel of her rosebud lips against his. He cupped her face in his palm, tracing the line of her jaw with his thumb as he kissed her. Kakashi had begun to learn where her sensitive spots were, and paid extra attention to those areas as he explored her body with his lips and tongue. He enjoyed hearing her sigh, and loved the sound of his name on her lips when she breathed it out.

Outside, the rain was falling steadily, drumming against the canvas tent. Kakashi made love to her with the rhythm of the rain, and Sakura matched his pace with a rhythm all of her own. He liked everything she was doing, and was practically enraptured by her touch.

After, when the two were perfectly spent, they held each other close and had no intention of letting go until dawn broke over the horizon.

"You know," Sakura said, "we should probably find a creek or something to wash up in before we make an appearance back in camp."

Kakashi pressed his nose into the soft pink strands of Sakura's hair and inhaled deeply. His scent was all over her, but it made him smile. "You still smell like jasmine and vanilla," Kakashi commented. There were underlying notes of sweat, soap, and sex, but no one else would be able to detect that. "It's raining anyway."

"That'll make for a fun trek," Sakura said with a sigh. She was lying on her side, tracing the tendons in Kakashi's forearm with her index finger.

"We'll be home before you know it," Kakashi told her. Her fingers went still on his arm. Kakashi lifted up on his elbow, peering over her shoulder to look at her face. A beat later, Sakura continued to stroke his forearm, staring absently at the tent wall in front of her. "What are you thinking about so intently?"

"A couple of things, I guess," she said. "I'm thinking about the sentencing that Tsunade will give to Sumire, and what that will mean for her. I'm thinking about us, and what things will change in our relationship when we get home."

Kakashi mulled that over before answering. "Well," he began, "we're just going to have to take things one day at a time. As for Sumire, we have to trust that Tsunade will know what to do." Kakashi knew his response was somewhat inadequate for Sakura's question, but he didn't have the answers. Truthfully, what happened to Sumire once they returned wasn't his decision, and he had total faith in their Hokage for handling the sentencing. The mission objective was his area of expertise: Return the prisoner to Konoha unharmed. He could do that with both eyes closed, one arm tied behind his back, _and_ without the help of the Anbu Black Ops. As for Sakura's other question… well, that was sitting heavy on his shoulders as well.

_What things will change in our relationship when we get home_? All Kakashi knew was that he didn't want to spend a single minute apart from her. Not to be dramatic of course–there were necessary things like jobs and missions–normal stuff that would get in the way, but he wanted to come home at the end of the day and know that she was going to be there, waiting for him. Kakashi reached up, scrubbing a hand across his face as he lay on his back. That cognizance was new…

"What are you thinking?" Sakura inquired, rolling to her side so she could look at him. She placed her palm over his heart, and stroked the skin with the soft edge of her thumb.

"Just how unbelievably lucky I am," Kakashi told her earnestly, scooping up her hand in his, and pressing his lips to the back of her knuckles.

"And don't you forget it either," Sakura teased him. She leaned forward to press her warm lips against his temple and then threw the blankets back. Unfortunately for Kakashi, it didn't take Sakura long to locate her clothing. She ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to smooth the strands–tousled by sleep and love making. When she finished, she found Kakashi's pants and tossed them in his direction. "You better get dressed too; I imagine the rest of the camp is probably up and grimacing in general annoyance about the rain."

Kakashi sighed, pulling himself to his feet while he slipped back into his clothing. Outside, thunder shook the sky, and Kakashi peeked out through the tent opening for a better look. The sky was a dull, caliginous gray with low-hanging clouds that obscured any chance of sunlight. The rain was falling steady, but wasn't obnoxious enough to make it so they couldn't see anything. Kakashi held out his hand, letting the cool drops pool in his palm.

"Cold?" Sakura asked. She was busy rolling up her sleeping gear and stuffing it into her pack.

"I prefer to think of it as refreshing," Kakashi told her with a wry grin.

Sakura snorted and pulled a crimson-colored rain jacket from her pack and shrugged into it. Kakashi never bothered packing things like that. For the most part, their gear was made to withstand an array of climate changes. Normally, Kakashi wasn't bothered by a little soggy clothing, but he knew the trek would probably be unpleasant without it.

For whatever reason, he was reminded of his time spent in Snow Country a couple of years ago. What was supposed to be a one-week mission turned into a month and a half due to unusual weather and high snow fall for that time of year. He'd been without his thick, issued military parka, and ended up coming home with the flu. He'd crashed on Sakura's couch for a week while she nursed him back to health. She'd berated him for being stupid and not taking proper gear of course, but she never once complained about having to take care of him.

Kakashi smiled to himself now, thinking again that he was indeed a very lucky man. "Why don't you head into camp and I'll meet you there as soon as I get the tent down."

"I can help with the tent Kakashi," Sakura insisted.

"If I know you like I believe I do… you're probably worried about Sumire and want to make sure everything went okay last night."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond but quickly snapped it shut again. Her features softened, and she gave Kakashi a warm smile. The beautiful kunoichi grabbed him by the vest and stood on the tips of her toes to kiss him. "I'll meet you back in camp," she said.

~/~

Naruto was the first person Sakura spotted once she crossed through the tree line. Even in the rain, that mop of golden hair could be seen a mile away. He was fidgeting with the poles of his tent and appeared to be struggling to get them broken down into a more portable position. "You need a hand Naruto?" she asked.

Naruto looked up, squinting through the rain at Sakura and her hooded rain jacket. "Hey," the nin said, "that rain jacket isn't military issued."

"Says the guy who preferred to wear bright orange accents any time he got the chance," Sakura retorted as she snatched the poles out of his hands.

"Orange is my favorite color," he said in defense. "Besides, it looks sharp."

"Sure, if you want to be a target for the enemy. You stuck out like a blinking neon billboard."

"Says the girl who's wearing red." Naruto snickered.

"You're just jealous I thought to bring a rain jacket," Sakura returned. She powered up her chakra charge and snapped the poles down where the little joint had refused to give and handed them back to Naruto.

"Thanks," he replied sourly.

"You are ever so welcome, Naruto." Sakura tilted her head and conjured up her most saccharine smile.

"So where'd you run off to last night?" Naruto asked as he slid the broken-down poles into a little holster that attached to his pack.

Sakura felt her cheeks brighten a small fraction. "Uh, you'd probably rather not know," she told him.

"Oh, _gross_." Naruto bumped his shoulder into hers and smiled. "Is he better in the sack than Sas–" Naruto suddenly choked on the last of his words because he'd taken a sharp blow to the gut by Sakura's elbow. "–Ooph."

Sasuke was making his way across camp, heading off in the direction of his masked-soldiers but Sakura knew he'd heard Naruto–though he was pretending he hadn't (probably for Sakura's sake.) To Naruto, she said, "Do you ever think before you speak?"

"Not usually," Naruto said as he massaged his sore stomach.

Thankfully, Hinata emerged from her tent then, wearing a white rain parka that enhanced the opalescent look of her lavender-colored eyes. "Good morning!" She beamed as though the rain wasn't bothersome in the slightest.

"Oh hey Hinata, can I interest you in some breakfast?" Naruto grinned at the dark-haired girl and offered his elbow.

Sakura used their departure as an excuse to go check on Sumire. The rest of the camp was busy tearing down their tents and she could hear the distant sounds of metal and the swooshing of tents coming down in the rain. Sakura didn't have to walk far before she saw one of the masked men in Anbu gear shove Sumire through a tent opening. She stumbled, catching herself with an extended right leg before eating dirt.

Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "Is that really necessary?" she asked the Anbu guard through narrowed eyelids. The guard didn't respond. His shoulder purposely bumped into Sakura's as he stalked off towards the makeshift kitchen tent, where smoke was rising through a hole at the top. She could smell last night's dinner permeating through the air, and knew leftovers were in store for their breakfast. Such was life on the road, Sakura thought as she looked at the purple-haired girl. "Well you must have really pissed him off if he left you without Sasuke's permission," she commented.

Sumire snickered. "Shows how much you know. Sasuke said I didn't have to be heavily guarded if you were around. He has a lot of faith in you Haruno," Sumire said observationally as she examined her fingernails.

Sakura lifted an eyebrow at her word choice, and shifted her gaze towards the breakfast tent where Sasuke was standing with a few of his guards. He wasn't looking at her, but Sakura's lips curled into a small smile anyway. He'd never considered her an equal, but it was nice to know he trusted her enough to handle Sumire without his Anbu guards being involved.

"So," Sumire continued a beat later, "I take it you and Uchiha used to be a thing?"

"That's really none of your business," Sakura told her. "Are you hungry?"

"I'd like to use Nature's grand facilities first if you don't mind. I've been holding my bladder since dinner and I _refuse_ to pee in front of the guards. They're creepy as hell." Sumire shivered as if to prove her point. "All that blank staring behind animal-faced masks without talking is just… _strange_."

"Come on." Sakura led Sumire through the first tree line, and found a big tree that would serve the purpose. At some point, the guards must have moved Sumire's restraints so that her hands were tied in front of her body instead of behind her back. "Are they loose enough?" Sakura nodded at the girl's wrists.

"I think I'll manage."

Sakura turned her back and let Sumire do her business in semi-private. She looked up at the sky above the branches of the surrounding trees, squinting as the cool, gentle rain droplets fell on her face.

"So what happened between you and Uchiha anyway?" Sumire asked as she came to stand by Sakura. "He's beautiful, if you're in to the tall, moody type–which, I am by the way."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I told you. It's none of your business."

"I'll bet," Sumire continued, ignoring her, "that he broke up with you because you're too much of a prude. He seems way too cool for you."

Sakura didn't reply. She wasn't going to feed into her instigation. Instead she kept her head held high and her shoulders squared as they walked back towards the campsite.

"I mean, from what I can tell Hatake is pretty gorgeous. He's built like a god, and I'd just love to run my fingers through all that hair of his and–"

Sakura spun so fast Sumire actually jumped. She leaned forward, coming eye-level with the purple-haired girl and smiled right in her face. "Listen Sumire, I know you think you're pretty good at this whole manipulation thing, but I grew up with the mastermind of pot-stirring and you have nothing on Ino, believe me. I think you're forgetting that I might actually be your only ally here, and you're going to need that when we get back to Konoha if you don't want to spend the rest of your days rotting in prison. So you can stop whatever game you're playing to try and drive me away because it isn't going to work."

Sumire's eyes flickered back and forth between Sakura's until her lip curled into a sneer. "Fine. I'll play nice Sakura. _For now_."

Sakura very much doubted she'd heard the end of it, but at least the girl was quiet… _for now_. She led her through the breakfast line and sat her beneath a tree whose leaves were creating somewhat of an umbrella effect. By the time Kakashi strolled up, the majority of the campsite had been torn down.

"Hey," Sakura said, flashing him a quick smile. "Did you get breakfast?"

Kakashi pushed a hand through his hair, attempting to smooth the wet locks that had fallen across his hitai-ate. Sakura bit her lower lip, trying hard not to think about how well the man could pull off the soaking-wet look. "I had a protein pack and some dried fruit," Kakashi told her.

"You cheater," Sakura teased. "The rest of us were stuck with dinner leftovers."

"Miso is your favorite," he said, not at all buying into her plight. Sakura could tell he was smiling at her beneath his mask, but the smile didn't last very long. "I talked to Sasuke; it would seem that Sumire is in your charge now."

From her spot at the base of the tree, Sumire snorted into her bowl of miso.

Kakashi didn't so much as spare a glance for the girl. "Daiji and Akio will be within earshot for backup if you decide you need help or simply grow… annoyed."

Sumire burst out in laughter. "Oh he's an observant one isn't he?" Sumire continued to giggle. When she laughed this way, Sakura thought a spark of her true age was beginning to show through. But it wasn't real… It seemed as though the girl could quite literally bend any situation to her advantage, and don whatever mask she needed in order to project a specific image that would inherently protect her. She was like a chameleon in that sense. Sakura had to admire her survival instinct, however warped it may be.

To Kakashi she said, "You say that like you won't be walking with me."

"That's because I won't be." Kakashi reached out, cupping her upper arm with his palm. "Naruto, Hinata, and myself are leading the group. Since it's raining, I thought those of us with stronger senses should be in front of the pack."

"You're probably right," Sakura said with a sigh.

"You'd be up there too if it weren't for your charge."

"By all means," Sumire said with dramatic flair, "please don't let me halt your budding romance. Tell me, when's the wedding? Not that I'm counting on receiving an invitation."

Now, Kakashi did look at her. Even though the majority of his face was hidden behind the folds of his mask and hitai-ate, he managed to shoot her a glare that could have frozen a lake on a hot summer day. This was the Kakashi that Sakura had learned from on the battlefield. This was the Kakashi that chilled the marrow in her bones. He didn't have to say a word to get his meaning across and it showed in the planes of Sumire's tensed features.

Kakashi shifted, turning that icy look on Sakura. "Stay sharp," he told her.

"Always," she replied.

~/~

The dull gray morning soon shifted into the dull gray afternoon. For hours the Konoha ninjas walked through the pouring rain, sloshing through the soggy terrain that had nearly become a mud-slick. Sakura's boots were soaked clean through, and her socks had even begun slipping down past the heels of her feet. Blisters had started to form, so she concentrated a small amount of healing chakra to her feet in order to keep from complaining–because if there was one thing Sakura truly hated–it was cold, clammy wet feet.

Much to Sakura's surprise, Sumire had stayed fairly quiet as they walked. Even with chakra, the trek wasn't the easiest, and Sakura knew it was taking quite the concentrated effort on Sumire's part to keep moving. The sky above proved that there was no hope for a reprieve, and very little chance of the sun peeking through the dimness. In fact, the only thing on the horizon was a brave golden eagle that occasionally dipped low over the valley, staking out its next meal through the incessant drizzle.

The group was approaching the edge of Tanigakure with Fire Country's forest in the near distance. Once they'd crossed the emerald threshold, Sakura nearly sighed in relief, peeling her backpack from her shoulders as she dropped down on a log. Sumire sat down beside her, crossing her arms and shivering. When Sakura looked at her, she thought her face was paling and the corners of her mouth were slightly turning blue.

"Here," Sakura said, shrugging out of her rain jacket. "I should have offered it sooner. I'm sorry." She pressed her lips together in a sympathetic smile and extended the jacket.

"T-there's n-n-no p-point," Sumire said through chattering teeth, "I'm s-soaked through the b-bone."

"Maybe so, but this will warm you at least." When Sumire didn't make a grab for the jacket, Sakura draped it around her shoulders like a cape. "Not having chakra doesn't help, and I'm sorry about that," Sakura apologized again. The medic was coming out in her, and she rubbed her palms over Sumire's arms to create friction and summoned a bit of healing chakra to help aid her.

"W-why are y-you s-still being s-so nice?"

Sakura knit her brows together in a frown. "This is just being a decent human being, Sumire… Contrary to what you've been told, most people in Konoha are good. We all make mistakes sometimes, but, that's just human nature." She worked her palms over Sumire's shoulders and the girl's shivers began to quiet.

Sumire was silent while Sakura worked on her back. When the chakra had worked through her system and she was warmer, she said in a small quiet tone, "Thank you."

Sakura smiled. "You don't need to thank me."

Sumire's lips parted as if she were going to say more, but something caught her peripheral and she looked up, high above Sakura's head towards the tree tops. Sakura glanced up as a golden wing soared over the tree line and disappeared again out of sight.

"That's strange," Sakura said, brow crinkling. "That looks like the same eagle that I saw in the valley this morning and again this afternoon."

"There are probably a lot of eagles in Fire Country," Sumire commented softly, sounding almost like she was trying to reassure herself.

"It's the same bird," a masculine voice said from behind them. Sakura turned to find Sai approaching them. "It's behaving strangely."

"Strange like how?" Sakura asked her dark-haired companion.

"Strange like it's been following us," Sai paused. "Kakashi-san and I spotted it this morning and made note of it again around noon. I know animals, Sakura, and this one isn't behaving like an ordinary eagle."

"Where's Kakashi now?" Sakura asked, shifting towards her friend.

"He's informing Sasuke and the Anbu soldiers about the eagle. We're being tracked, Sakura."

"By _who_?" Sakura asked in an exasperated tone. No one had followed them from Suna–Sakura was sure of that. They'd been traveling through lesser known territories in order to avoid crossing paths with anyone. In fact, the trail they were taking was exclusive to Konoha ninjas–no one else could possibly know how to navigate the terrain… It was difficult enough when the weather cooperated; let alone trying to effectively maneuver it in the pouring rain.

"We don't know," Sai said. "I was going to send up one of my own birds, but the ink won't last too long in the rain."

"_Damn_." Sakura cursed under her breath, kneading her knuckles over a kinked muscle that was twitching in the back of her neck. "So we're _literally_ sitting ducks."

Just then, Naruto came up beside them, head of golden hair shining even in the dim light of the woods. "No one knows the Fire Country Forest like we do," Naruto said, "that gives us an advantage."

"We're less than a day away from Konoha's gates," Hinata added, stepping out from behind a tree. We can send a few of the Anbu soldiers ahead of us and request backup."

"No," Sasuke's voice preceded him as he approached with Kakashi just a step behind, "we can't afford to send anyone ahead of the group since we don't know the size of the party that's tracking us."

"It was a good idea though, Hinata," Kakashi complimented, laying a palm on her shoulder before walking around their friends to stand beside Sakura.

"So what's the plan?" Sai asked.

"We keep moving," Sasuke said. "They'll be waiting for us to make camp. If we're not moving we become easier targets."

"We'll stick to the trees," Kakashi said. "We'll have more of an advantage from the branches."

"Yeah, about that," Sakura said. "The Suna aids gave Sumire a drug that stunted her chakra, so tree-climbing is out of the question for her."

"So we'll assign a couple of guards to travel on the ground with her, the rest of us are in the trees." Sasuke called for a few of his Anbu Black Ops, and Sakura watched as they appeared from the shadows, moving like silent guardians through the trees.

"I'll stay with her," Sakura said. She glanced at Sumire, a tiny thing with overly-large eyes curled up in Sakura's red jacket. Just then she looked so much like a child, it was hard for Sakura to believe she'd been capable of so much deception and manipulation.

"Fine," Sasuke said, "but you'll have two Anbu guards with you just the same. No one stops until we get to Konoha. If you need to, take a soldier pill."

Sakura nodded. She knew Kakashi was staring at her, and one quick glance confirmed that his hands were balled into tight fists at his sides. Everyone took to the trees after that, minus the two guards Sasuke had assigned for her, and Kakashi, who was looking up at the trees as Naruto darted across a moss-covered branch and disappeared out of sight.

When they were mostly alone Kakashi said, "Have I ever told you that you drive me crazy?"

"On more than one occasion," Sakura admitted. She stepped towards him, reaching for his hands and forced his stiff fingers open; her own warm fingers closing around his.

"Good. I was worried you'd forgotten," his tone was delivered sardonically.

"I'll be careful," Sakura told him, knowing perfectly well where this conversation was headed. "You just stay focused on the mission soldier, and I'll see you soon." Sakura stood on the tips of her toes, wrapped a hand through his shirt collar, and pulled his masked mouth to hers.

Kakashi touched her cheek, fingertips barely a whisper over her skin, and murmured something the rest of them couldn't hear before he took to the trees.

Sumire was watching her, Sakura realized, so she offered her a hand to help get her moving again. "Come on," she said, "we better get going."

Sumire stood slowly, stumbling a little as she started walking and the two Anbu guards fell in behind them. The woods were already dark, and Sakura knew it wouldn't be long before the sun–though hidden anyway–would sink below the Western Horizon and shroud them in total darkness. She'd probably have to carry the girl to avoid any major mishaps.

"He would die for you, wouldn't he?" Sumire said.

"Beg pardon?"

"Kakashi-san," Sumire said, tone softer than Sakura had ever heard it before. "He would die for you if he thought it could save you."

Sakura wasn't entirely sure how to answer at first. She also hadn't skimmed over the fact that Sumire had attached an honorific with his name. It was the first time the girl had been remotely respectful. "Well," Sakura said, "I think we all would die for each other… My friends are my family, and there's nothing any of us wouldn't do to protect one another."

Sumire considered this, carefully stepping over a fallen log as Sakura held back a tangle of greenery. When the girl spoke, Sakura had to strain to catch the words. The words, Sakura thought, sounded like a deep recognition; a revelation of light and sadness all at once. "So that's what love is," Sumire said, walking into the night.

* * *

**Sorry for the late update. July in particular is a busy month for me so it took longer than I hoped to get this chapter finished. Thanks for hanging in there. **

**Seems like our beloved characters just can't avoid running into trouble... I wanted to end this chapter on a bit of a cliffy because our young antagonist is having an essential epiphany. ::Ah, the plot thickens:: I'm curious, what do you guys think is about to happen? I'd love to hear your thoughts. **

**As always, thank you so much for the likes and reviews (A special shout-out to my regulars who've been sticking with me from the beginning!) You guys rock. Seriously. **

**Happy reading,**

**~Sparrow **


	16. The Art of all Things Hidden

Chapter Sixteen

The Art of All Things Hidden

* * *

The night creatures of the Fire Country Forest where putting on a private concert for the Konoha ninjas as they hiked through the woods in sheer darkness. Above the insect songs, Sakura could faintly hear the sound of her comrades bounding through the branches–though Sakura highly suspected it was Kakashi, shaking the occasional limb to let her know he was close by. She smiled to herself as she shifted Sumire in front of her, channeling her chakra to help her feel out the obstacles in the forest.

"Watch your step," she said quietly, "there's a big root just right in–"

"Ow!"

"–front of you," Sakura finished just a beat too late. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," Sumire said. "I'm the one slowing you down."

"We _could_ remedy that you know," Sakura pointed out, as she'd previously mentioned that she'd be willing to carry the girl on her back to save time and trouble. Sumire had immediately shot the idea down with fervor.

"I'd rather impale myself on a sharp stick than be carried. No offense." The girl batted a plumage of greenery away from her face as they stepped under a low-hanging branch.

"Still, the whole not-being-able-to-see-in-the-dark thing has got to be annoying," Sakura said.

"I've been through worse."

Sakura raised both of her eyebrows. She had no doubt about that. The girl had obviously experienced more than most should at such a young age. She'd watched her mother die from an illness after all… Sakura didn't think it could get much harder than that for a kid, but for her, it had. "Sumire," Sakura began softly, "can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure," the girl replied with a slight shrug.

"It's about your father…" She waited a beat to see if Sumire would clam up, but the girl just kept walking. "I was thinking about what you told me, about how it was your father's last wish for you to bring Sai back to live with his people. Does that mean he was already in the process of building an army?"

For a moment, Sumire didn't reply. Sakura thought she could sense the change in her body posture; muscles stiffening. "Yeah," Sumire said, "he was."

"The Earth Style user… he was one of your father's men."

"How'd you guess?"

"Those tunnels were pretty elaborate," Sakura said. "It must have taken him quite some time to carve passages and rooms in the earth like that."

Sumire snickered in the darkness. "You're pretty clever, Haruno. I'll give you that." Sumire paused before speaking again. "When my father was banished from Konoha, he left with my mother and me, and one other joined him later, a man named Chikao. I believe he was a distant relative to the man you call Tenzo. He was one of my father's subordinates in Root, so he followed him into the desert, no questions asked."

Sakura frowned. "So once your family started building an underground home, so to speak, he started collecting an army of followers?"

"Yep," Sumire said, stumbling as her foot caught another root hidden among the underbrush. Sakura reached out to steady her for probably the fiftieth time that night. "We looked for people that were like us," Sumire told her. "People who had been out-casted, or told they weren't talented enough to become a shinobi warrior. We trained them–gave them purpose, and a safe place to live."

"With the intentions of seeking revenge on Konoha," Sakura pointed out. "Sumire, your father lied to all those people. You have to realize–"

"–Why are you so keen on making me believe that my father was a monster?" Sumire snapped.

"Sumire…" Sakura began, "you said yourself you didn't agree with Root and what it stands for. People are not toys that can be played with so carelessly. That's exactly what your father was doing with his so-called _followers_."

"We didn't force those people to do anything they didn't want to do," Sumire protested.

"Maybe not," Sakura agreed. "But they were taught to believe Konoha was the enemy and manipulated to believe that Root was the answer. I mean, what did you think would happen when you sent that group for Sai? Did you honestly believe we wouldn't come looking for him to try and get him back?"

"We hoped you would…" Sumire said. "In fact, we were counting on it."

Once again Sakura lifted her eyebrows, this time they nearly disappeared into her hairline. "So that was part of your revenge plan all along?"

"Well yeah," Sumire admitted. "We knew we weren't big or strong enough to take on all of Konoha's forces, so we did what we had to do to draw out a select few."

"You keep saying _we_…" Sakura noticed. "I thought _you_ were the one pulling all the strings?"

Sakura's question was met with resounding silence. For a moment, all she could hear were the crickets in the forest, playing out their melancholy songs that seemed to echo in her ears. Sumire finally responded in a meek tone, "They were never my strings to pull."

"What do you mean by that?" Sakura asked her, tone sharp. Her mind began to race over all the information she'd been given since the beginning of her mission. There were still holes in the story, she thought, holes that desperately needed to be filled. She went over Sumire's background story in her mind, hearing her repeat: _they were never my strings to pull_… "Sumire," Sakura said now, grabbing the girl by the shoulders, "do you know who's tracking us?"

Sumire's shoulders were stiff beneath Sakura's fingers. The girl was shaking, and it took all of three seconds for Sakura to figure out that she was scared…

"If you were being used this whole time, Sumire… you can tell me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you; you can trust me," Sakura's tone was delivered gently.

"I…" Sumire began, "I wasn't being used. But… I think I made a mistake, Sakura."

"You can tell me," Sakura urged the girl.

"They'll kill me…"

"_Who_ will kill you?" Sakura asked, squeezing the purple-haired girl's shoulders a little more tightly than she meant to.

"Sasuke and his guards… all of Konoha, I don't know," Sumire said exasperatedly.

"Is there a problem here?" A masculine voice broke through the din of darkness. Sakura had almost forgotten that two Anbu guards had been assigned to assist with Sumire. They'd been moving so silently, keeping a good distance behind them.

"I'm not sure," Sakura told the masked-man. To Sumire she said, "You have to tell me what's going on, Sumire. It's the only way I can protect you." The girl was still shivering beneath her grip.

"Sakura… I don't want you to get hurt… In the beginning I thought this was the only way, but now… Now I don't think it's true."

"What? _What_ don't you think is true?" Sakura had to mentally remind herself not to shake the girl in her own frustration.

"We knew you would come for Sai," she repeated. "We were counting on you to find us so that we could capture Temari. We've been three steps ahead of you this whole time… don't you see? You traded yourself for her safety, and I told you the only way we'd release you is if you brought us Sai. We weren't stupid. We knew you'd send for backup. We knew you were going to attack us. That was the goal. I was supposed to get myself captured so you would take me back to Konoha for sentencing… You all played right into our hands." Sumire continued to shiver, and Sakura could hear her sniffling in the dark as sobs wracked her body.

"The eagle," Sakura said. Suddenly, it was all making sense. All those missing pieces were coming together now, fitting just-so. "There are more of you, aren't there?"

"We dispatched two armies," Sumire said. "One went to capture Sai, and the other was sent to hide in Rain Country until now… Think about it, Sakura. You said yourself the tunnels were elaborate. You didn't find it odd that there weren't many of us living there–that it was so easy for you to break in and take us captive?"

"This isn't happening." Sakura let go of the girl, squeezing her fingers into the palms of her hands until she felt the tips of her nails biting into her skin. _Of course there were more of them_. They were dealing with _Root_, for the love of all the gods! They should have known it wouldn't be an easy win for Konoha. "Go find Sasuke and Kakashi," she snapped at the Anbu guards. "Tell them we have a problem." Sakura heard the two guards take to the trees, and then they were gone. To Sumire she said, "How many are tracking us?"

"They're being led by a man named Gima Haruaki; he's a fugitive from Kirigakure and my father's second in command. He's leading an army of a hundred men to get revenge in his name."

"This isn't happening," Sakura repeated, pinching the bridge of her nose as she began to pace back and forth between the trees.

"Like I said," Sumire pointed out, "we knew we couldn't take on all of Konoha's forces; this was the only way to draw you out. Haruaki wants Kakashi the most," Sumire said. "He knows he was behind my father's banishment and the end of Root along with your Hokage."

Sakura all but shouted at the top of her lungs, "How many times do I have to tell you that your father was _not_ banished?! He fled Konoha instead of answering for his crimes! He poisoned all of you against us because he couldn't face up to what he'd done." She was so _over_ being sensitive on the subject. Sakura's anger was getting the better of her, and she let the acidic words spill out like molten lava. "He's the reason your mother is dead. His path of self-righteousness kept him from getting her the medical attention she needed, and he knew it. _That's _why he killed himself. He couldn't live with what he'd done so he took the coward's way out." Sumire was crying now, and Sakura instantly hated herself for using her words as weapons.

"Sakura, listen to me," the girl pleaded through wet-sounding sobs. "They're going to capture Kakashi… They'll use him to draw out your Hokage and then they'll kill them both. You have to get him out of here!"

Sakura laughed, her tone nearly shrill in hysterics. "If you even for a second believe that Kakashi would run away from this, then you haven't been paying close attention. He's a warrior, not a coward. He'll never back down from a fight."

"He would for you," Sumire said in a small voice. "If you ask it of him, he would for you because he would do anything to save you."

"I _don't_ need saving," Sakura ground out through clenched teeth. Sakura's blood was seething; vision red at the corners. She didn't even hear the others approach. She recognized the feel of Kakashi's hands sliding over her shoulders, his thumbs pressing against her pressure points on either side of her spine.

"What's happening?" Sasuke snapped from somewhere in front of her.

Sakura inhaled deeply before informing the others of what she'd learned from Sumire. When she'd finished, the others remained quiet.

Naruto was the first to speak. "When will they attack?"

"At dawn," Sumire said, "at least, that was the original plan. I haven't been in contact with them since before getting captured in Suna."

"You're not actually going to trust her?" another spoke from somewhere in the back.

"No," Sasuke said, "for all we know this is just another manipulative scheme."

"I'm taking a serious risk here," Sumire said. "I'm betraying my people to try and protect you!"

"Yeah, probably to save your own ass," Naruto added.

"Sakura," the young girl pleaded, "you have to believe me. They were counting on you to make camp for the night. The plan was to attack at dawn. If everyone keeps moving, you'll make it to Konoha's gates by sunrise and it will be too late for them. No one has to get hurt."

Sakura couldn't focus. She no longer knew what to believe. In the beginning, she had felt sorry for the girl–learning what she had about her upbringing and knowing she'd lost everything she loved. She was a victim of circumstance, but at some point a person had to claim responsibility for their actions and choose a different path–to better their own life. Was that what Sumire was doing now, Sakura wondered? Or was this just another part of the enemy's convoluted scheme? The enemy nins were far more clever than they'd given them credit for…

"We shouldn't waste any more time," Sakura said. "We need to keep moving and stay focused on getting everyone back to Konoha safely. There's no sense in waiting around to find out if we'll be attacked or not."

"Agreed," Sasuke said. "Everyone sticks to the trees this time. Sumire will be carried by Aiko; for her sake, she better not be lying."

No one protested.

The group dispersed through the trees, but Kakashi and Sakura didn't move. He was still standing behind her, hands poised on her shoulders like he was waiting for her to do _something_. She could feel the heat of his fingertips through the fabric of her damp shirt and closed her eyes to really soak it in. He was the only real, tangible thing Sakura could rely on, and if what Sumire said was true… then there was an army of men coming for him.

_To kill him_.

Cold dread swept down the length of Sakura's spine and shook her bones. She spun on her heel, wrapping her arms around his middle as she buried her face in the fabric of his vest. His warmth pooled around her like a protective cloak in the darkness; his scent, faint because of the rain, still comforting her. "You should summon the Ninken Pack," Sakura said against his sternum. "They can help us scout."

"Already done," Kakashi told her. "That was the first thing I did when the Anbu guards approached and said there might be trouble."

"Good." Sakura squeezed him a little tighter. "Do you think she's telling the truth?"

"What do you think?" Kakashi's hand lifted to cradle the back of Sakura's head, fingertips catching the soft strands between her shoulder blades.

"I think I hate it when you answer questions with other questions," she said, and Kakashi chuckled; the sound of it vibrating against her cheek.

"I think she's scared," Kakashi answered. "I think she's growing quite fond of you and realizes that Konoha isn't the enemy. If I were a betting man, I'd wager she's telling the truth."

"Then we need to go," Sakura said, only pulling back enough to gaze up into the Copy-nin's masked face. It was still dark, but the sky was beginning to lighten in the east and with her chakra charge, she could make out just enough to see his outline.

"Sakura," Kakashi said her name in a way that made her breath catch. His hand slipped behind the curve of her jaw, his thumb poised on the corner of her lips. "Nothing's going to happen to me. Stay focused on the mission, okay?" As Sakura nodded, Kakashi's thumb slid over her lips. "I'll be right behind you in the trees," he told her.

"I'd rather you stay beside me."

Sakura couldn't see it, but she knew Kakashi was grinning. She could hear it in his voice. "Okay," he said, "Then I'll be right beside you."

~/~

The night was long, and the trek through the trees had taken a toll on Sakura's nerves, but at least it had stopped raining. A layer of dense fog was rising up from the ground when they'd exited the forest, and Sakura spotted the silhouetted shape of Konoha's gates in the near distance. The pale gray light of dawn was just breaking the horizon.

_They'd finally made it_.

_Home_, Sakura thought longingly when she spotted the mountain in the distance bearing the carved faces of all their Hokage leaders. The knotted muscles in Sakura's shoulders seemed to relax when she released a tensed breath of air, and subconsciously, she wondered how long she'd been holding it. She looked around at her comrades, making note of each guard until she spotted Aiko–the one in charge of carrying Sumire. When he exited the forest, he placed the girl back on her feet (none too gently, either) Sakura saw.

The girl made eye contact, but her face was a carefully constructed mask again. Sakura mirrored it, squaring her shoulders as the guards at Konoha's gates called down a greeting. "Welcome back! We weren't expecting you until later this evening," one of the men said. The metal hinges screeched as they opened up and the group of Konoha ninjas rushed inside. Kakashi made quick work bounding up to the landing.

"We might have a problem," Kakashi told the guard that had greeted them. He quickly explained the information Sumire had shared with them, and told them to keep their eyes peeled for a golden eagle. "They won't attack Konoha with a hundred men, but you need to be careful just the same."

"Copy that, Kakashi-san." The man bowed respectfully and turned to inform the other men keeping guard at the gates.

Sasuke was giving his men orders on the ground when Kakashi landed soundlessly beside him. "Sakura and I will head to the Hokage's office to speak with Tsunade-sama," Kakashi said, "the rest of you can head home and get some rest. When you're fresh, you can turn in your mission reports. Hopefully by then we'll have a new mission objective."

"But what are we going to do about the rogue army?" Naruto whined. "If they're still out there, we can't just sit around and do _nothing_. What if they've already figured out Sumire betrayed them and they've gone back into hiding?"

"I don't intend for us to do nothing, Naruto," Kakashi said in a tired-sounding tone. "However, we are back in Konoha now, and the Hokage needs to be informed about what's happened." Kakashi paused to place his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We need a fresh team of shinobi on the case. The rest of us aren't you."

Naruto stuck out his lower lip in a contemplative pout, but Hinata gently tugged on the fabric of his shirt at his elbow. "Kakashi is right, Naruto. They'll keep us updated and come get us if anything changes, won't you?"

"You have my word," Kakashi promised.

"Fine," Naruto agreed.

Sakura watched her friends walk off in the directions of their homes, while Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sumire stayed behind. Luckily at this hour, most of Konoha's citizens were still sleeping and weren't in the streets to gawk at their new prisoner as they escorted her to the Hokage tower. Sakura glanced at the purple-haired girl out of her peripheral, watching her take in the sights of Konoha. Sakura had to remind herself that the girl had lived here once–before the war, and wondered if it still looked the same to her. She wondered if anything she was seeing was sparking old memories.

Sumire glanced up at Sakura, and she thought there was something like recognition softening the girl's features, but Sakura couldn't be sure. They were approaching the Hokage tower now, and Sasuke tightened his grip on the girl's ropes as they entered the building.

"Tsunade won't be up at this hour," Sakura commented. "She's going to be pissed to high heavens when we wake her up."

"It's necessary," Sasuke said when they approached the staircase. Their footsteps echoed through the tower as they climbed. A guard waiting at the top of the steps granted them access to the top floor, and they were instructed to wait in the Hokage's office while Shizune went to wake up their fearless leader.

In true Tsunade fashion, the Hokage made them wait a grand total of twenty minutes for her to make an appearance. And when she did finally emerge, she was dressed in silk robes with her blonde hair pulled back in a long braid. Aside from the violet colored shadow underscoring her eyes, Tsunade looked as beautiful as always.

"So this is the girl that's been causing so much trouble for us," Tsunade commented, scrutinizing her. Instead of sitting in her chair, she walked to the front of her desk and casually leaned against its surface. "What are you," Tsunade asked, tilting her head, "fourteen?"

"I'm fifteen, Hokage-sama," the girl replied respectfully.

"Well then…" Tsunade flicked an eyebrow upwards as she crossed her arms. "You've managed to get yourself in quite a bit of trouble for how young you are. Then again, it isn't unheard of for Konoha to produce gifted child prodigies." Tsunade's gaze flickered to Kakashi and settled there. "I assume something has changed if you've returned to Konoha ahead of schedule."

"We were being tracked, allegedly, by the rest of the rogue army that was residing under Suna," Kakashi told her.

"And how did you come by this information?" Tsunade asked.

"Because I told them, Hokage-sama," Sumire said. "My people believe that you banished my father from Konoha, and put an end to the Root organization alongside Kakashi-san. They knew they would never stand a chance against all of Konoha's forces, so the goal was to capture Kakashi and lure you out. They mean to kill you both to in order to get revenge for what happened to my father. Taking me as prisoner was all part of the original plan," Sumire admitted.

Tsunade's honey-brown gaze never left Sumire's face. Tsunade was a fiercely smart woman, and it didn't take her long to fill in the blanks. She inhaled deeply, puckering her lips as she slowly released a breath of air. "And you're sharing this information with us in hopes of what… sparing your prison sentencing?"

"No ma'am," Sumire answered. "I will claim responsibility for my actions and serve out my sentencing as you see fit. These last few days on the road with Sakura-san and Kakashi-san have showed me that perhaps… perhaps we were wrong. My only goal in sharing this information is to spare any further bloodshed."

Tsunade considered this. "If what you say is true, Sumire, then you must understand that we will have to take action against the rest of your rogue army."

Sumire was quiet for a short moment; her large eyes glazed over, and a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye and trailed over the curve of her cheek. "Yes, Hokage-sama, I understand. You should know, however, that they are not my army. They are being led by my father's second in command. His name is Gima Haruaki and he's a very dangerous man."

Tsunade grinned, leaning forward as she leveled with Sumire. "_We_ are dangerous." Tsunade straightened then, pushing away from her desk as she walked to the window and gazed out over her city. "I will have the guards escort Sumire to the prison cells in the private sector. She will remain there until we can prove whether or not she's telling the truth about this rogue army. Once they've been taken care of, we'll see to her sentencing."

The side doors opened at the wave of Tsunade's arm, and two guards walked in. They took Sumire and marched out the doors without a word, and Sakura felt her stomach twist and leap at the girl's sudden departure.

Once they were alone again, Tsunade spoke, "Do you believe she's telling the truth about this rogue army?"

"We were being tracked by a golden eagle," Kakashi informed their Hokage. "Sai and I noticed its unusual behavior and that's when the girl confessed that we were being followed. She begged us to keep moving."

"Interesting," Tsunade said.

"The Ninken Pack is still out scouting, but it shouldn't be long before they're able to report a location," Kakashi added.

"Very well," Tsunade said, turning away from the window. "We'll wait for their coordinates and then we'll send out a team to apprehend the rogues. We'll give them a chance to surrender; but if I know Gima Haruaki, he's not the surrendering kind." Tsunade paused, slumping down in her chair as she propped her elbows on her desk. "I thought we'd lost him in the war, but I'm not surprised to learn of his betrayal."

A cloud of smoke billowed up through the Hokage's office, and as it cleared, Pakkun sat in its place. "Good morning Tsunade-sama," the pug bid their leader, slightly bowing his head.

"Pakkun," she greeted the pug. "What news have you brought us?"

"The girl was telling the truth," Pakkun told the group. "The boys and I spotted an army of about a hundred men traveling through the Western Woods. From what we can tell, they haven't figured out Sumire betrayed their cause."

"That's good," Tsunade said. "That gives us an advantage, but we won't have it for long. Pakkun, do you think you can lead a group of shinobi warriors to the rogues?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

"I want Shikamaru and Genma leading the troops," Tsunade said. Tsunade summoned Shizune back into her office and asked her to bring the two ninjas to her office so they could work on assembling a team. "If Gai's team is available, we'll send them too."

"What about us?" Sakura asked.

"What about you?"

"We were assigned to this mission, Shishou, it's only right that we see it through to the very end." Sakura took a step forward. She was aware that her clothes were stained and dirty–still damp from the long night of rain–and her pink hair was stringy and plastered to the back of her neck. She was tired and sore, but Sakura didn't care. She'd been through much worse and endured because she was a warrior. Tsunade knew her strengths better than anyone, which is why it didn't surprise her to see the blonde woman smirking.

"You've completed your mission, Sakura. What I require of you now is to get some rest. Those of you that returned today are on mandatory leave for the next five days."

"But, Shishou–"

"–No buts, Sakura. The others will handle the next phase of the mission."

"Forgive me, Tsunade-sama, but I just can't sit around and wait to see what happens. I need to see this through, for me, if nothing else, but for Sai's sake, too." Sakura persisted.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the pink-haired kunoichi; slowly, her lips turned up at the corners. "Well, I guess you wouldn't be my student if you weren't stubborn," the Hokage said on the exhale of a sigh. "Very well, Sakura, you may see the mission through. But after that–"

"–I know," Sakura interrupted, "mandatory leave."

"I would also like to see this through if I may," Kakashi added, but he wasn't looking at Tsunade; he was looking at Sakura, and Tsunade appeared to be studying the pair in brief silence.

"And Sasuke?" she asked.

"I'll go get Naruto," Sasuke said. "He wouldn't want to miss out on the action either." With that, the dark-haired nin turned on his heel and departed the room.

"Kakashi," Tsunade said, "would you mind waiting out in the hall? I'd like to have a word alone with Sakura."

Kakashi bowed and then exited the room.

Sakura stood there, facing her Hokage while Tsunade just smiled at the pink-haired medic. Sakura knew that smile well–knew that she was reading between the lines and had something to say whether or not Sakura wanted to hear it. "What?" Sakura asked innocently.

"Nice try, Sakura, but I'm on to you." Tsunade gestured to the chair in front of her desk. "Take a seat, won't you?" Sakura sank into the soft cushion, taking advantage of the arm rests as she leaned back into the padding. "So," Tsunade began, "something has changed between you and Hatake."

Sakura swallowed, green eyes expanding at the Hokage's words. Of course she had noticed. "Well…" Sakura didn't quite know how to begin. Tsunade was like a mother to her in so many ways, yet she was still the leader of their village. She wanted to tell her everything, yet she knew that she had to tread carefully. "I… _We_…"

Tsunade flicked an eyebrow upwards as the corner of her mouth lifted in an amused smile. "Sakura… I trust you both," she said. "I'm not going to take you off his team if that's what you're worried about."

"That's part of it," Sakura admitted with a strained sigh.

"What's the other part?" Tsunade ventured a guess, "The age gap?"

_Damn, the woman was good_… "That among the fact that he was my sensei and I'm technically still his subordinate and–"

"–Truthfully, I'm surprised this hadn't happened sooner." The blond woman was smiling. "I think you know better than anyone how difficult it is for Kakashi to open up, but I've seen the relationships he's cultivated with Team Seven. You're his family, and he loves you all… But," Tsunade said, spreading her hands against the surface of her desk, "he's let you in the most, Sakura. He lights up differently around you. It's like you make each other stronger."

Now, Sakura found that she was grinning and had to avert her eyes to the floor. "He's a good man, Shishou. I guess I finally realized that I don't ever want to be without him. I… Well, I love him, and, he loves me too."

Tsunade was quiet for a moment, lost in her own thoughts; perhaps reminiscing about her own past loves. When she spoke again, Sakura noticed a sadness in the woman's voice and it reflected in her eyes. "Life is so very short Sakura, especially for our kind. If you've found something real, it's imperative to hold onto it and cherish it with every moment you're granted. I can't think of anyone more deserving of you," Tsunade said with a warm smile. "I hope you've found true happiness." The woman reached across the desk and grasped a hold of Sakura's hand. "I trust you both," she repeated. "You have my blessing."

Sakura didn't realize how badly she needed to hear those words–to have her Shishou's approval. Not that she would have let anyone stand in the way of her happiness, but it felt like such a true gift to have her blessing. Sakura's chest welled with happiness, and a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye. "Thank you," she breathed, reaching up to wipe the tear from her cheek. "That means the world to me."

Tsunade grinned and straightened in her chair. "There will be time to celebrate later," she said, "but for now, we have a world to save."

* * *

***Phew. ****This was one of my least favorite chapters to write. We're getting closer to the end, and I feel like I'm riding the proverbial "struggle bus" knowing I have to wrap things up. **

**Hopefully you guys are still enjoying the ride, so to speak! As always, thank you for reading. **

**Stay tuned,**

**~Sparrow **


	17. The Art of Sacrifice

Chapter Seventeen

The Art of Sacrifice

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Sakura felt the weight of her flak jacket sitting heavy on her shoulders. Her pink hair was pulled back in a ponytail, the shorter strands brushing against her cheeks in the wind. She glanced to her right, spotting the flash of Kakashi's silver hair as he drew to the front of the line. The sky was an ominous gray stretching before them; the aftermath of the storm that had followed them home. _Home_, Sakura thought; she'd finally made it back to Konoha and yet their mission wasn't entirely completed. In spite of her aching limbs and exhaustion, Sakura was ready to defend her home with all her friends.

Shikamaru squeezed her shoulder, a hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he nodded at her. Sakura smiled back, raising her chin as her comrades fell in line. Gai was there with Lee and Tenten, flanked by Kiba, Choji and Ino. The long-haired blond girl tugged at the hem of her flak jacket as she came to stand beside Sakura.

"You know Forehead, it's been too long since I've tried this on for size," the girl said, flexing her hand into a fist to test the quality of her gloves.

"Don't tell me your boobs have gotten so big that you can't even zip the flak jacket up all the way," Sakura retorted with a mischievous grin.

"Ha, ha, so funny," Ino replied. Sakura noticed the tight line of Ino's mouth and the thin crease between her slender brows. The girl was not as confident as Sakura on the battlefield, but she was a powerful kunoichi nonetheless.

"You didn't have to come, Ino," Sakura said softly, "but I'm glad you're here. We could really use your strengths today."

The blond looked at Sakura, expression softening a bit. "You didn't think I was going to sit back and let you have all the glory did you?"

Sakura snorted. "Of course not, Pig."

Ino chuckled. "It's far too boring around here without you. I'm glad you're back, Forehead. After all this is over, we have a lot of catching up to do, and _you_ have a lot of explaining. Starting with that fine ass Copy-nin you've been keeping all to yourself." Ino lightly elbowed Sakura in the ribs.

Sakura knew her cheekbones were reddening. After Tsunade-sama had briefed the ninjas on their mission, they were given a grand total of ten minutes to gear up and meet at the gates. Sakura had run home to change her socks and boots and pick up a few more weapons before heading out to meet the others. Kakashi had caught her elbow as she rounded a corner, pulled his mask down and gave Sakura a kiss that turned her limbs gelatinous and left her wanting more. The streets were still quiet, but Ino had caught the tail-end of their intimate embrace at a distance, and for once in her life, the blond was at a complete loss for words. Like something akin to a snake, her jaw came unhinged and practically smacked the ground with a thunk. Kakashi had only chuckled, pulled his mask up and took off for the gates.

"There's not really much to tell, Ino," Sakura insisted now, reaching up to scratch the curve of her brow with her thumbnail.

Ino snickered and crossed her arms over her chest. "Like I'm supposed to believe that. I saw him kiss you. I only wish I would have been closer so I could have borne witness to famous Copy-ninja's face." Ino pretended to pick a piece of lint from her shoulder with perfectly manicured fingernails; a sour expression pinched her features together. "He is as gorgeous as we all suspected isn't he?"

"And then some," Sakura said with a grin.

Ino's teal colored eyes seemed to soften then, all traces of sarcasm vanishing from the girl's face. "I was wondering when you were finally going to figure out that you love him."

Sakura's eyebrows rose to meet her hairline. "You could tell?"

"I'm not blind, Forehead. I have eyes that work quite well, thank you very much. I mean, I've known the man was crazy about you for a long time–what with all the time he spends outside of missions with the three of you–but mostly you. He might keep the majority of his face hidden, but I can still see the way he looks at you, Sakura. He can't mask his feelings from his eyes."

The corners of Sakura's mouth turned up into a smile. "I wish I would have paid attention to that sooner," the pink-haired nin admitted. "Might have saved myself a lot of heartache."

"I don't think it works that way, Forehead. Sometimes you have to experience the bad so you know how to distinguish the good. Life needs contrast for you to really appreciate what you have, you know?"

Sakura turned to look at her loud-mouthed friend. "You know Pig, that might have been the smartest thing you've ever said."

Ino snorted. "Don't underestimate me, Sakura. I may seem superficial on the outside, but I pay attention to what's important."

"I know that better than most," Sakura said, tipping her head to rest on the girl's shoulder. Ino had been the first person to ever stand up for Sakura; the first person to recognize there was more to her than what first met the eye. Ino really was a true gem–annoying at times, yes, but a true gem nonetheless.

A dark blur in the sky caught Sakura's peripheral. She looked up, catching a glimpse of the golden eagle as it soared above the arc of trees and then dipped into the forest out of view. "It's go time," Ino said, rubbing her palms together. "Let's get these rogue bitches once and for all."

Adrenaline awakened in Sakura's veins, spreading a tingling warmth through her body as her heart picked up pace; thundering behind her rib cage. Sai was the first to take action. He'd summoned his own large paper-and-ink eagle and took to the sky with Naruto riding behind him.

Kakashi looked back at Sakura, the gray light of the morning reflected in his irises. She could read all the things Kakashi didn't have time to say, and Sakura hoped he knew that she felt the same sentiments. _Be safe, I love you_, she willed him to hear. Gai and his group took the middle, while Shikamaru and his group took the left. Kakashi led Sakura's group to the right so that each section of the forest would be covered and the rogues wouldn't have a chance to flee before they caught up to them.

There was a part of Sakura that hated Kakashi being in the lead–since he was the main target of interest–but she knew the man was incapable of backing down from a fight. He was seasoned and one of the most revered ninjas of their generation, but that still didn't make him invincible. Sakura couldn't help herself; she found her feet following the path he had taken as the ninjas dispersed through the trees. Some had taken to the branches while others moved like silent ghosts, weaving through the underbrush and entanglement of vines.

Sakura didn't know how long they ran through the forest before the first shuriken sliced through the air only mere inches from her face. She skidded to a sudden halt, using the metal backing of her gloves to deflect the blade as she searched for her attacker's face through the branches. She spotted him; a man dressed in sand-colored robes with bindings to cover the lower part of his face. He pulled a sword from his back, advancing on her. The man was big and his bulk made him clumsy. Sakura ran straight towards him, sliding to ground between his legs. Before he could even blink, Sakura had popped up behind him, kicked him in the back of the knees and knocked him to the ground.

"You're outnumbered," Sakura said, pressing the blade of her kunai to the side of the man's throat. "Surrender your army and no one has to die."

The forest was silent and as still as the grave. The Konoha ninjas had all come to a stop, poised with weapons as they waited for the next course of action. The man on the ground laughed; his tone low and gravely, as he turned his head to look up at Sakura and her blade mechanically sliced into the first layer of his skin at his own doing. Her eyes expanded, but she held her ground.

A whooshing sound caused Sakura to look up. A man wearing a dark cloak dropped from the trees and landed on his feet. He stayed half crouched in a feral position while his black gaze rested on Sakura's face. His head seemed to be permanently cocked to the side, nostrils flaring to match the wild look in his beady eyes. Sakura recognized him. She'd seen him before in Konoha, a long time ago, and by the looks of him now, it was evident that his time spent living in the wild had not done him a kindness. This was the man they were looking for–the man that had caused so much turmoil for Konoha: _Gima Haruaki_. Sakura swallowed, jaw clenching as she squared her shoulders and tightened her grip on the kunai.

"_Well_, _well_," Gima said, drawing out the syllables, "this is certainly an unexpected surprise." He drew a kunai from his pouch, running his index finger over the curve of the blade as he glanced around at his enemies. "You were looking for us," he continued in an amused sounding tone, "which means that our little spy has betrayed us… Where is she, I wonder?" His tone darkened.

"She's not here," Sakura replied curtly.

Gima Haruaki twisted the tip of the kunai on his finger, not enough to make him bleed, but enough to show his skill with the delicate weight of the weapon. "Then you know why we've come," the man said.

"By order of the Fifth Hokage, your army is commanded to surrender," Shikamaru called out somewhere to Sakura's left. "Like Sakura said, you're greatly outnumbered by Konoha's forces. Bloodshed would be senseless on your part."

Gima appeared to be considering this as he drew a deep breath, chest expanding. "Unfortunately, I'm here to collect a blood debt that is long overdue I'm afraid. Hand over Hatake Kakashi, and we promise not to kill anyone else."

The blood in Sakura's veins began to boil. "No deal," she ground out through clenched teeth. "This is your last chance to surrender."

Gima squared his shoulders, looking around as his golden eagle flew overhead and swooped down to land on his shoulder. "Members of the Root operation do not surrender to anyone," he replied evenly. "You may succeed in killing us here today, but not at the loss of your own lives. If you fight us; you will leave this forest with less shinobi than you arrived with."

Those words echoed in Sakura's ears because she knew there was a chance he was right. Ice cold dread swept the length of her spine, locking her legs in place when she spotted a flash of silver hair as Kakashi stepped into the proverbial spotlight. He was looking at her with his mismatched eyes, brows contorted heavily above them. Sakura's heart lurched as a sharp pain pierced her chest. She knew that look. She'd seen it more times than she could count, but this time–she felt the actual raw pain of it physically breaking her heart.

_He meant to hand himself over to Gima Haruki_.

For the first time in a long time, Sakura _hated_ the fact that the man she was in love with was so self-sacrificing that he would willingly walk into battle and surrender himself if it meant keeping all his people safe. Just like that he would end it all, and take the one thing Sakura was sure she couldn't live without away; like a candle blown out–gone, like it never existed.

Sakura's chin began to quiver, limbs twitching uncontrollably. A fury she had never before known seemed to take root and possess her entire being. She cried out a battle call, and the man at her feet slumped to the ground; a pool of scarlet soaking into the earth before them. She'd made the decision for all of them as tears of anger and frustration burned hot trails down her cheeks. With the man dead at her feet, Sakura had started the battle.

~/~

The clash of metal echoed through the trees with the scent of blood staining the air. It tangled through Sakura's nostrils and churned sickness in her gut. The enemy nins advanced, and she summoned all her strength to defend her comrades. That had been the plan all along. Tsunade herself had instructed the Konoha shinobi to attack if the rogues refused to surrender, and Sakura refused to feel guilty for being the first to take action. She let anger fuel her resolve as she brought down enemy after enemy around her.

_How could he even think to surrender himself?_ Sakura wondered. He would have sacrificed himself if she hadn't killed that man and started the battle. Sakura jumped off a tree, twisting in the air as she came down to jab her blade in the back of an enemy's neck. She held on tight while he flailed around, desperately trying to get her off him. She locked her left arm around his neck and dug the heels of her feet into his hips and squeezed. He fought a moment longer, but soon hit the ground, knees collapsing. Sakura checked his carotid to be sure he was dead before removing the blade from his neck.

An enemy advanced from behind, but Naruto was quick to knock him out of the way before his blade could come anywhere close to Sakura. She nodded a quick thank you to her golden-haired friend before moving on to the next target. She'd lost Kakashi somewhere in the mayhem. The sea of bodies moved fluidly between the trees as battle shouts and the occasional sound of a paper tag exploding filled the air around them.

Sakura worked her way to the middle, spotting a flash of silver hair as Kakashi's blade clashed with Gima's. _Of course Kakashi would have targeted him_, Sakura thought. In the final moments of battle, it came down to the two of them alone. Sakura noticed that Kakashi's hitai-ate had been lost, and his mask had a tear clean across his jaw. Blood was dripping from his exposed forearms, and a dark stain was growing on his left thigh.

Gima looked no better, but that didn't make Sakura feel any less panicked. She watched Kakashi's powerful form move like lightning through the forest, dodging and deflecting each of Gima's blows. He landed several of his own, finally managing to knock Gima to his knees. The man caught himself with his palms and rolled to the side as Kakashi's blade sank into the earth where only seconds before Gima had been. The dance continued until Sakura grew dizzy just from watching, and with the trick of a shadow clone, Kakashi finally managed to pin Gima against a tree–his blade poised just above the man's heart.

"Final chance," Kakashi grated out, both hands on the blade hilt.

"I'd never surrender." Blood trickled over Gima's lip as he smiled at Kakashi and laughed in his face. Kakashi drove his blade through Gima's chest, and watched the life fade from his eyes as his head lulled in death. Kakashi let go of the blade then, stumbling backwards as he lost balance. Sakura caught him before he collapsed to the ground. She cradled the upper half of his body, tilting his face towards hers.

"Sa-Sakura," he barely managed to say her name.

"Shh," Sakura urged him to keep quiet in attempt to save his energy. "Don't talk, Kakashi. I've got you now. You're going to be all right." Already she was summoning healing energy into her hands, sliding them beneath his clothes to find the worst of his wounds.

Kakashi lifted a hand to her face, and Sakura felt the blood on his fingertips smearing her cheek as his hand fell listlessly to his side and his eyes lulled back into his skull. For the second time that day, Sakura's heart split in half; pain cutting off her air supply as she gulped futilely for a breath.

"Don't you dare, Hatake Kakashi," she said to him as tears streamed hot from her eyes, "don't you dare leave me."

~/~

Sakura gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The violet colored shadow of sleepless nights underscored her once vibrant green eyes; a deep contrast to her sallow complexion. It seemed to Sakura that no amount of cosmetics could cover up or hide what she had lost… The ghost of those losses hung over her like a foreboding cloud, keeping her in a state of permanent shadow. Sakura turned her head at the sound of a knock on her front door, and reached up to turn out the light in her bathroom.

"Sakura, sweetie, are you ready?" Ino's gentle voice was muffled through the wooden door. For a moment Sakura just stood there, unable to bring herself to answer. "I know you're in there Sakura," Ino said, "I can hear you breathing."

That wasn't creepy at all, Sakura thought dismally as she lifted her hand to twist the doorknob. Ino was standing on her porch wearing the same black yukata that Sakura had on, only her blond friend somehow managed to look glamourous and elegant while Sakura felt like the fabric swallowed what little shape she had and made her skin feel itchy.

Ino pulled Sakura in for a hug, crushing the air from her lungs as she pinned her against her chest. Sakura struggled for air, and when she finally did manage to get in a lungful, it smelled overwhelmingly strong of the floral fragrance Ino preferred to wear.

"How are you holding up?" Ino asked when she released her from her vice-like grasp.

"As well as I can be," Sakura replied. "It's been… rough."

Ino lifted her eyebrows, peering around Sakura's shoulder to inspect the disarray of her living room. "To say the least," the blond retorted. Sakura stepped out onto the porch then, closing the door behind her and therefore all the clutter and dirty laundry taking over her living space. It had been five days since that final battle in the forest, and Sakura hadn't much felt like organizing any part of her life and it showed. She'd only gotten off the couch when her stomach rumbled so loudly she thought the neighborhood would wake if she didn't get up to eat anything. But when her stomach stopped complaining, back to the couch she went–existing in a state of pathetic behavior she wasn't even sure she could call living.

Naruto and Sai stopped by each evening, often just sitting with her in companionable silence as they flicked through old sitcom reruns on TV. The boys were good company and warmed a place in Sakura's heart, but it still didn't ease the weight of her depression. Tsunade had granted her an extended leave, and told her she could return to work when she felt she was ready. Sakura wasn't sure she ever wanted to step foot outside her home again, but each day the sun shone brightly in the blue sky, mocking her through the window from where she sat on the couch–staring into oblivion.

Today was the first day she'd been out, but only because it was expected of her. For today was the day the whole village would come together in respect for the lives that were lost in the final battle. Sakura massaged the ache in her chest with the heel of her hand as Ino guided her off the porch. There was an empty void there now that panged whenever Sakura thought of those lives, and she wasn't sure that it would ever go away. After all, she had been the one to start the battle. It was her blade that ended a life that in turn resulted in the lost lives of her fellow comrades.

"_It wasn't your fault_," Naruto had told her earnestly. "_You did exactly what the rest of us would have done_."

Still, his words didn't make Sakura feel any less guilty. After all, she did what she did to save the man she was in love with.

Ino and Sakura walked in shared silence to the memorial service. Naruto was the first to spot the two girls. Hinata was with him, her long hair was braided down her back and she wore a small jeweled necklace that matched the color of her luminescent eyes. Naruto scooped Sakura off the ground and crushed her to him in one of his famous bear hugs. Sakura didn't bother fighting it. Sai was the next to embrace her, followed by Hinata and Tenten.

"We missed you," Naruto said.

"You see me every day," she reminded him.

Her golden-haired friend lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "It's not the same and you know it."

Sakura didn't reply. The village was gathering before the memorial stage, and the four picture frames of the shinobi they'd lost were on display there, along with gifts, flowers, and candles to commemorate their lives. Ino linked her arm with Sakura's and led her down the aisle. Sakura and her friends gathered around the stage and Sakura's chest welled with tightness as she gazed at each picture frame.

She didn't know them well–the shinobi that sacrificed their lives to help save Konoha–and now they would never know how grateful she was to them. Sakura reached a trembling hand to each picture frame, sending up a silent prayer to the heavens for each of them, and then took her seat as Tsunade stepped up to the podium to deliver their eulogies.

Halfway through the service, Sakura caught a familiar scent on the breeze and turned her head just a small fraction to peer over her shoulder. Kakashi was standing in the back, dressed in black with a slouch to his shoulders that was customary of the Copy-nin; as he always appeared to be carrying around the weight of the world… Sakura's heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach. They hadn't spoken to each other since she'd taken him to the hospital after he'd blacked out in the forest.

Kakashi had woken in an empty room–the sound of mechanical beeping filling his ears, to find that the woman he loved hadn't been there.

For the first time in her whole life, Sakura had been terrified to face him.

What would he think of her–knowing she had been too selfish to allow him to sacrifice himself? The fact was as simple and elementary as this: Sakura had chosen him over everyone else. At the end of the day, she'd done what was required of her; she'd taken a direct order from their Hokage and acted upon it… but she knew Kakashi wouldn't see it that way. He knew her–maybe better than anyone else, and she knew he would see right through her act. She was so angry with herself and with him, and she didn't know how to face him.

Part of her had hoped that he would come looking for her, but as the days passed without a word from him, Sakura's fears only solidified. Maybe it was childish of her to act this way, but she feared too much time had passed… What if she'd ruined the best gift life had ever granted her and it was too late to try and rectify the mistake?

"Are you listening to me, Sakura?" Ino's voice registered above her own inner thoughts. Sakura looked up to see that the service had ended and people were heading home now.

"Hm?"

"I said," Ino repeated, "you should go talk to him."

"Talk to whom?"

"The ghost of Christmas Past, who do you think, Forehead?" Ino rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm talking about Kakashi-san."

"Right." Sakura lowered her gaze, fixating on her shoes. "I'm afraid I've made an awful mess of things…"

"That's because you have," Ino blurted without regard. "The man clearly has abandonment issues. All he's ever known is loss, Sakura, and you were the one who walked out on him this time."

Sakura felt her back molars grinding as she locked her jaw. Ino was right, of course, and Sakura loathed herself for causing him more pain. "He didn't come looking for me," Sakura said meekly.

"He shouldn't have had to," Ino pointed out. "Now go." She gave Sakura a little shove for good measure. "You have some serious grovelling to do."

_Right again_, Sakura thought as she lifted her eyebrows and sighed. Sakura walked through the memorial grounds, following the winding path that cut through the beautiful green of Konoha. She didn't have to guess where Kakashi would be. She found him at the cenotaph where the name of his mentor was carved into the stone. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, shoulders slumped and eyes half veiled behind heavy lids. Sakura's heart was in her throat, damming the words she longed to say but didn't know where to begin.

She did the only thing she had the courage to do, and wrapped her arms around his middle, closing the distance between them as she rested her cheek against his sternum. It seemed like an eternity before Sakura felt Kakashi's hand–feather light–press into the middle of her back. She looked up at him, tears pricking the corners of her eyes and said, "Kakashi, I am so sorry…"

Kakashi lowered his chin, studying her face, but he didn't reply.

"I was so… _angry_ with you." Sakura sniffled, trying not to let anymore tears fall before she could explain herself. "When you looked at me that day in the forest, I knew what you were planning to do… I don't think you understand what that did to me, Kakashi…" Sakura laid her hand on his masked cheek, while her other rested on his heart. "You were about to make a decision that I couldn't have a say in… you were going to leave me here, _alone_, and… I can't live in a world where you don't exist." Sakura hoped her words would be enough to get through to him, to make him realize the depths of her love because the flood-gates had lifted and tears were streaming down her face now.

Kakashi gathered her face in his hands, catching the tears with his thumbs as he looked into her eyes. "Sakura," he breathed, "then why have you been avoiding me?"

"Because I was afraid you would be disappointed in me for what I did. I know how self-sacrificing you are, Kakashi, and I was too selfish to let you get away with it," there–she'd admitted it out loud. "I was willing to let others die because I can't live without you… That's not what being a ninja is supposed to be about. I was afraid to face you because I didn't want you to look at me and see a failure."

Kakashi pulled Sakura into his arms and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I could never look at you and see a failure," he told her earnestly. "You're the best thing in my life, Sakura. The only thing that really matters."

"But you were still going to leave me here alone…" she breathed the words into his shirt and inhaled the familiar and comforting scent of his skin.

Kakashi was quiet for a long time, holding Sakura in his arms as the late spring sun warmed the tops of their heads and birds chirped in the trees around them. When Kakashi finally spoke, Sakura's tears had all dried up. "I won't make that mistake again, Sakura."

"And I," Sakura said, looking up into his face, "will never leave you."

Their promises drifted off in the wind, sealed in the firmament above as they held tightly to one another. Slowly, the void in Sakura's chest began to close, the ache growing dimmer as Sakura realized the truth of all that had been said between them. There was nothing in life that true love couldn't conquer, and Sakura was sure she'd found it with him.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. It was an extremely emotional one to write.**

**As always, thank you for reading and leaving me your thoughts. **

**Until next time,**

**~Sparrow**


	18. The Art of Forever

***Notes at the beginning because, my lovely readers, I regret to inform you that this is the last chapter. I wanted to thank you all for the likes and reviews; hearing from the fans has truly been awesome! I will come back to the land of FanFic, probably with more KakaSaku goodness, but I am taking a small break because the sequel to my YA novel is in the works of getting published and will require a lot of attention. **

**Writing FanFic has certainly been a challenging experience. It's difficult to take well-loved characters that already exist, and try to do them justice (and still keep true to the way I normally write and create things.) That being said, I hope you guys have enjoyed this story. It's been fun, and the followers have made it special. So, thank you!**

**Peace and love to all,**

**~Sparrow**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

The Art of Forever

* * *

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, sighing as he pulled down his mask and let the fabric gather like a scarf around his neck. It had been a month since he and the other shinobi returned to Konoha, and now that the rogue army had been taken care of, things were back to their normal order. Well, _sort of_. Some things were changing, and Kakashi was doing his best to handle those changes with the utmost of grace and patience.

"So," Sakura prompted, "what do you think?"

Kakashi scratched the stubble on his jaw, peering around Sakura's living room. Kakashi wasn't an idiot–he knew that he loved Sakura more than life itself, so naturally, the next step in their relationship would be to move in with one another. Kakashi's apartment was small and ideal for the single bachelor. It had served him well over the years, as he was hardly even there all that much to begin with. It was a place to store what little belongings he had–a place for rest and quiet; two things he was sure he wouldn't get much of if he agreed to move into Sakura's house. Sure there would be more room, but seeing as how Sakura had a habit of bringing home her work from the hospital, he very much doubted he would get the alone-time he so craved.

"Well," Kakashi said, "it's very… _pink_."

Sakura blew a strand of hair across her forehead as she settled her hands on her hips. "We can always repaint, Kakashi. I'm not opposed to a little redecorating if it means we get to merge our lives together."

Kakashi figured Sakura might say something like that. He nodded, but he wasn't quite sure he knew how to say what he was really thinking without offending the pink-haired kunoichi.

Sakura pulled herself into a sitting position up on the kitchen counter, wiggling her index finger at him. Kakashi went to her, placing his hands on either side of her hips, flat against the counter. Sakura lifted her arms, resting them on Kakashi's shoulders as she toyed with the short strands of hair at his nape. A tingle brushed the length of his spine and Kakashi moved his hands, settling them on Sakura's waist as she brought her forehead to his.

"What's really bothering you, Kakashi?" Sakura spoke softly, her breath tickling his face. "I know you don't really care about my décor. It's not _that_ pink in here."

Kakashi turned his head slightly, gazing over Sakura's shoulders to the white couch and the pink and red throw pillows propped against the cushions. It wouldn't be Kakashi's first choice of color, but it really wasn't _that_ bad, he agreed. He mentally cursed her perceptiveness as he reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I told you I didn't know how to do this," he said, gesturing to the small space between them. "I'm not good at relationships."

Sakura snorted. "You're far better than you give yourself credit for, Kakashi. I know how you feel about me, but if you're not ready to move in with me, it's okay to say so."

Kakashi's eyes expanded just a fraction. "It's not that, Sakura." Kakashi dragged a palm over his face, unsure of how to begin. "I've been on my own for most of my life. I'm used to a certain level of… solitude and quiet. Your life is anything but." He reached for her hands, gathering them in his palms as he explained. "Everyone drops in on you with no prior warning, sometimes at all hours of the night depending on the situation."

"You're worried you won't have any privacy?" Sakura guessed.

"Among other things, yes." Kakashi drew a deep breath and released it slowly. "I would never ask you to change your lifestyle for me, please understand that. My senses are nearly flawless, so it's not like if I had my mask down I wouldn't be able to pull it up in time, but, I'm just used to a much quieter atmosphere."

Sakura giggled, delicate eyebrows contorting a little. "You sound like such a reclusive old man, Kakashi. I hate to think what the next thirty years will turn you into."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, jutting out his chin. "Sakura…"

"I'm teasing." She spread her fingers through the hair at his nape, gently dragging her nails across his scalp. The sensation elicited a shivering-warmth that spread through his body, and he drew himself nearer. "I have a basement you know… You can turn it into a dark bat cave if you want to so you have some place to hide when things get too crazy."

"Bat cave?" His right eyebrow flicked upwards.

"I was trying to be funny." She grinned. "In all seriousness, I want this to happen. In fact, I've never been more sure of anything. I love you, Kakashi, and I want this to feel like it's your home, too. Relationships take compromise, and I'm willing to change a few things if it makes you feel like you can be yourself. That includes telling all my friends that they have to call before they come over, and if the visit is medical related, well, office hours close after eight P.M. unless it's an absolute emergency."

Kakashi was shaking his head. "Sakura, I don't want you to change anything for me." He lifted his hands, fingertips skating over the toned planes of Sakura's arms. "I just wanted to be honest with you about my… apprehension," he decided on the word.

"Well I appreciate that. I hope you always come to me with anything you're feeling. And if you decide something isn't working for you, let me know and we'll come up with a way to change it together." Sakura hooked her legs around Kakashi's waist as if to lock in her embrace, but as innocent as the moment was, it awakened a swirling current of desire in Kakashi's blood.

"I still get the bat cave though, right?"

Sakura giggled. "Yes, Kakashi, you still get the bat cave."

"Good," he breathed. Other more important things were on his mind now, and he fully intended to address those matters without so much verbal communication. Kakashi skimmed Sakura's thighs with his fingertips, dragging them from her knees to the short hem of the little black shorts she'd decided to wear. His thumbs slipped beneath the leg cuffs, dipping over the curve of her inner thigh as close as he could get to her panty line.

"What are you doing, Kakashi?" Sakura's tone had turned almost breathy.

"Something that requires less talking." He grinned at her, leaning in to claim her mouth with his. His right hand slipped through the strands of her hair until he was cradling the back of her head while his tongue parted those lush rosebud lips of hers. She tasted sweet, and the scent of her skin tangled through his nostrils as he kissed her.

They were still in the beginning stages of their romance, enjoying the surreal state of utter bliss, and making love to her was one of Kakashi's most favorite things on earth. They hungered for each other, and when they were alone, those physical desires took hold and they spent their time wrapped up in each other's embrace. For Kakashi, this wasn't just some primal, animalistic need. He'd been deeply infatuated and in love with the woman for quite some time, and all those emotions just added fuel to the passion he already felt for her.

Sakura's small, feminine hands slid up his torso until she was grabbing a fistful of fabric at his collar. Their slow and heated kiss grew more desperate with hunger. She reached up with one hand to remove his hitai-ate and let it drop to the kitchen tile below them. Her fingers were in his hair then, gently tugging at the strands as Kakashi lifted the hem of her shirt and began to drag it over her head. Sakura allowed them to part just long enough to remove the hindrance of their shirts before she was crushing her mouth to his once more.

An expert twist of fingers allowed Kakashi to unhook the clasp of Sakura's bra; warm mouth and tongue exploring the newly uncovered areas of her skin. She was so perfect, he thought, lightly dragging his teeth against the sensitive skin of her breast. He lifted her with one arm securely wrapped around her back while his free hand roughly dragged her thin shorts and panties down below her hips. "Where?" he rasped, gaze flickering to her spring-green irises that were dilated with longing.

"Here," Sakura breathed out.

Kakashi was a bit surprised to hear her answer as the countertop probably wasn't the most ideal surface in terms of comfort, but he'd be lying if he said it hadn't spiked his libido. Kakashi unclasped his belt buckle, tugged at his zipper and shoved his pants below his hips. Sakura's eyes seemed to have glazed over as she reached for him, positioning him in just the right spot… Her eyes lulled; legs hooking around his waist as Kakashi drove into her.

Kakashi's hand bumped into something on the counter, and judging by the sound it made when it hit the floor, it had probably been a ceramic mug. Sakura arched into him, tilting her head against the cabinets as his mouth came down to claim her collarbone. He moved with deliberate slowness, enjoying the small spasms of pleasure Sakura seemed to be unable to control. He quickened his pace, groaning her name as he pulled her off the countertop–her legs still locked around his hips–and carried her into the living room.

He sat down on the couch, allowing Sakura to take the proverbial reins as she rocked against him. He anchored his hands to her hips, helping guide her rhythm. Their skin grew slick with sweat, breath catching as they dragged out their pleasure–slowing, almost to a painful stop before Kakashi couldn't wait a moment longer… He braced an arm around Sakura's waist, easily maneuvering to the ground between the couch and the coffee table. Their hips glided together as Sakura arched into him, pulling him deeper still.

At that moment, Kakashi didn't care at all that her pillows were red and pink and her house was decorated rather girly. He'd take it all, each and every day, if it meant losing himself to her so completely this way. A deep, masculine groan grated up the back of his throat that met Sakura's more feminine cry. He collapsed onto her chest, breathing heavy as he brushed a kiss across her shoulder, tasting the salt of her skin on his lips.

Sakura trembled beneath him, lost to the small waves of pleasure that seemed to be working their way through her body. "I love you, Kakashi, so much," she said to him.

"And I love you," he breathed against her neck. "Always."

~/~

"How's she doing?" Sakura asked as she sat down in the chair across from the Hokage. Tsunade had released Sakura back to her normal schedule at the hospital after the memorial service, and after her shifts were over, Sakura would drop by the Hokage's office to check on Sumire's progress. The purple-haired girl had been detained in a private sector prison cell–which was really more like a hotel room in the Hokage tower than a prison. A guard was posted outside her door day and night while she served out her sentencing. Tsunade had been more generous than Sakura expected, and given the girl a term of easy community service to serve for her 'punishment.' She even allowed private visits (as long as it was a member from Team Seven.)

"She's doing quite well, actually," Tsunade said. She doesn't complain about the work that's assigned to her, and doesn't put up a fuss with the guards either. Sai has been a phenomenal help with her lessons and says she's almost ready to enroll in school."

"That's great!" Sakura beamed. "Have you thought more about letting her join Academy?"

Tsunade raised her slender eyebrows, slumping a little in her chair. "I haven't decided yet. I don't want to make a decision that might cause her to revert to old habits or her previous Root teachings. Granted, Sai has assured me that she can make a full recovery and says her gifts as a ninja will be invaluable." Tsunade rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Only time will tell, I suppose."

"You've been very generous with her, Shishou, I can't tell you how much that means to me." Sakura pressed her lips together in a small smile.

"I hope you know it's because of you, Sakura," the blond woman said. "I see the way you are with her and how much you believe in her. She trusts you, and I have to say… she reminds me a great deal of a younger version of a pink-haired kunoichi I know."

Sakura's small grin turned into a full-toothed smile. "I hope that's not a bad thing…"

Tsunade reached into her desk drawer and pulled out two small glasses and a bottle of sake she kept hidden in a false compartment. "Well," the Hokage said, "you were once quite a handful, but, I think you turned out okay." A smile toyed with the corners of her lips as she poured out equal-measured drinks for them to share.

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." Sakura reached for her glass, tipped it to Tsunade's, and took a sip.

"It was meant as one," the Hokage told her. She drained her glass on the first go-around and had to pour herself another. "So, tell me," she prompted, "how goes things with our beloved Copy-ninja?"

"Good," Sakura replied. "They're more than good, actually. He's agreed to move in with me." Sakura finished her drink and placed the empty glass on the wooden surface of the desk.

One of Tsunade's brows flickered upwards, but Sakura noticed the smile still playing at the corners of the woman's mouth. "I can only imagine the fear you must have felt when you decided to tell me about your relationship… _Oh wait_," Tsunade said, crinkling her brow as she laid an index finger on her lower lip. "I supposed I figured it out before you got the chance."

"That you did," Sakura agreed. "I was hoping you'd be supportive of our decision, but I'll admit I was a little on edge knowing it might be a problem."

Tsunade nodded. "You know you've always been something like a daughter to me, Sakura… Of course I was worried, but I know you, and I know Hatake… That's why I gave you my blessing. I do truly believe that you are good for one another."

"Thank you, Shishou." Sakura bowed politely. "I should probably get going… We're meeting everyone for dinner and Sai finally had the courage to ask Ino out on a date. She said yes, in case you were wondering, but to make things a little easier for the guy, we all agreed to make it a group affair."

"I see," Tsunade said, drawing out the syllables. "Hinata and Naruto, Sai and Ino, and you and Kakashi." The woman shook her head at the turn of a smile. "You're all so grown up now."

"Just don't get emotional on me now or I might start to think you've gotten soft in your old age," Sakura teased.

Tsunade huffed out a sarcastic laugh and picked up her glass. "It doesn't matter how old I am… I still look flawless. You'd do well not to forget it, either."

Sakura giggled. "Good evening, Shishou. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Sakura." The woman winked.

~/~

Sakura left the restaurant with a smile on her face, warmth in her heart, and a slight alcohol-induced buzz humming through her brain. Her friends were walking in pairs in front of her with she and Kakashi bringing up the rear. Things were finally getting back to some natural level of normalcy with a lot of great changes taking place along the way.

Naruto and Hinata had become an official couple, while Sai and Ino were just beginning to test the waters of their own possible relationship. The night before Sai finally worked up the nerve to ask Ino on a date, Sakura had asked her blond friend to at least keep an open mind. While Sai _was_ good-looking, he wasn't someone Ino would naturally go for, so it took some gentle persuading to get her agree. Sakura watched the pair at dinner, and swore she even saw Ino blush at something Sai had said–though she worried about what that might be, the pair looked cozier now as they walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk.

As for Sakura herself, she'd opted out of the next few missions Tsunade had offered, choosing instead to focus on the mundane work at the hospital. She wasn't saying 'goodbye' to missions all together, but for now she was content to focus on using her medical skills. Kakashi was incapable of slowing down, though he'd chosen to take easier missions that didn't require him to be away for lengthy amounts of time. Sakura suspected that was because he didn't want to be away from her, but she wasn't going to complain as long as he was happy.

Kakashi swept his arm across her back, gently pulling her to the side of his body. She gladly wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned into him as they walked. For the most part, the people of Konoha had stopped staring at the pair, but she still noticed the occasional odd look whenever they were spotted being somewhat intimate in public. Kakashi was at total ease of mind, however, and Sakura couldn't care less about what anyone had to say. She had the blessing of those who knew and loved her best, and that was all that mattered.

"I'll bet," Kakashi said, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "that they wind up getting married."

Sakura almost snorted. "_Who_–Ino and Sai?"

Kakashi nodded. "They're cute together," he admitted. "I think Hinata and Naruto will wind up getting married, too."

Now _that_, Sakura could see. But since Kakashi had been the one to broach the subject of marriage, Sakura glanced up at him with a mirthful look in her eye. "Marriage is the ultimate commitment you can make to one another…" she paused. "I'm not sure any of those people–" Sakura gestured to the couples in front of them "–are quite ready for something that serious."

"Maybe not right now," Kakashi allotted, "but one day..."

"Maybe," Sakura agreed. She could see that Kakashi was smiling beneath the folds of his mask based on the way his eyes crinkled at the corners.

"What about you, Sakura-chan, do you think you're ready for a commitment like marriage?" Kakashi's low voice vibrated against her ear, and a delicious shiver spread across her entire body.

"Kakashi… is that's your way of asking me to spend forever with you? Because if it is, I gotta' say that's about the least charming way to ask a girl for her hand in marriage." _And so Kakashi-like_, she noted mentally. She was grinning, wrapped up in the idea of forever with this man that she was so incredibly in love with that she almost missed when he stopped walking. Their friends were already several yards in front of them, oblivious to the fact that they'd left them behind.

"Sakura," Kakashi said, reaching for her hands, "I've never before in my life felt as strongly about anyone as I do about you. I never believed in the possibility of soulmates–at least, not until you. You have changed my whole world for the better, and because of it, I don't want to spend a single moment without you… I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you'll have me."

Sakura's whole body seemed to swell on a tide of emotion; she was looking up at the man, clinging to his fingertips as he held hers just as tightly. "Kakashi, I…" Sakura began, pausing to lick her lower lip.

"I don't have an engagement ring," Kakashi interrupted, "not that it should surprise you."

Sakura giggled. "I wasn't expecting one." She wasn't expecting this, either, but, here they were…

"Say yes, Sakura." His tone was a gentle plea–like he might actually fear her response if it were rejection. His thumbs brushed the backs of her hands softly.

"Yes, Kakashi," Sakura beamed up at him, "I couldn't dream of forever without you."

Kakashi didn't need to hear more. He reached up, yanking his mask away from his face as he leaned forward and kissed her beneath the lamppost. In that moment, the whole world seemed to stop moving. For this one solitary moment they were suspended in time, wrapped up in promises of forever. It was strange in a way, how everything in her life had led up to this… And as Sakura smiled against his mouth, she realized that there was nothing else she could ever want.

"What are you smiling about?" Kakashi whispered against her lips; his arms were still locked around her, keeping her pinned against his chest.

"Everything," Sakura said. "I have everything I've ever wanted."

Kakashi smiled. "So do I," he replied as their lips met once more.


End file.
